[OE. cilfer-, cilfor-lǫmb ewe-lamb, corresp. to OHG. chilburra, -ira (MHG. chilbere, mod.G. Bav. dial. kilbare, kilbere; cf. Swiss kilber masc. ‘young wether,’ Bav. kilbern to lamb); the stem kilƀ- is an ablaut form of kalƀ- in kalƀoz- CALF; there are many related words outside Teutonic, with the phonetic base glbh-, designating the young of animals.]
A ewe-lamb: commonly chilver-lamb. (Found in OE., and still common in southern dialects, though not evidenced in the intervening period.)
c. 1000. Ælfric, Lev. v. 6. Bringe an cilfor lamb [offerat agnam].
a. 1100. O. E. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 392. Enixa est, cilforlamb, oððe acennende wæs.
1815. European Mag., LXVIII. 337. I’ll sell you a lamb that is called a Chilver [note or ewe lamb].
1823. New Monthly Mag., VIII. 502. An eloquent sally on the rare wool of the chilver-hogs then present.
1825. Britton, Beauties Wilts., Gloss. (E. D. S.), Chilver, an ewe-lamb.
1883. in Standard, 21 April, 5/8. The chilver (or breeding lamb) might be protected from the butcher’s knife for a year or two.
1883. Hampsh. Gloss. (E. D. S.), 15. Chilver-lamb, a ewe-lamb.
