Forms: [1 hleomoce, 4–5 lemoke, lemeke, lemke], 5 brokelemke, -lempk, 6 brokelem, brooklem, -lyme, 7 brokelempe, brokelhempe, 6 brooklyme, -lime. [Worn down from ME. brok-lemok, f. bróc BROOK + lemok:—OE. hleomoc, name of the plant.]
A species of Speedwell (Veronica Beccabunga) common on the edges of ditches; also a kindred species known as Lesser Brooklime or Narrow-leaved Water Speedwell (V. Anagallis).
[c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 92. Hleomoce hatte wyrt sio weaxeð on broce.
a. 1387. Sinon. Barthol. (Mowat, Anecd. Oxon., I.), Fabaria, lemke [printed levike].
a. 1465. Alphita (Mowat, Anecd. Oxon., II.), 86. Fabaria … anglice lemeke uel lemoke.]
a. 1450. MS. Bodl., 536 (Plant names), Brokelemke.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, in Babees Bk. (1868), 185. Broke lempk … is good for ache.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes (1881), 25. Called in englishe Brooklem, and in Duche Bauchbung. Ibid. (1551), Herbal, 98. Broocklyme.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, clxxxiv. 495. Brookelime or Brooklem, hath fat, thicke stalkes.
1614. Markham, Cheape Husb. (ed. 3), 97. Take Brokelempe [ed. 1668 brooklime] the lesse, and frie it with Tallow.
1748. Anson, Voy., II. xii. (ed. 4), 364. Nor is there any other useful vegetable here worth mentioning except brook-lime.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xii. 124.
1846. Sowerby, Eng. Bot. (1866), VI. 169. The leaves and young stems of the Brooklime were once in favour as an antiscorbutic.
