1. A COPSE. arch. or Obs.
α. 1543. Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 17 § 1. In and upon all … Woods commonlie called Coppieswoods and Underwoods.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 105. Coppisse Woodes, that are continually to be feld.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 380. There be also of Date trees coppey woods, which they vse to fell and cut at certaine times.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, V. § 425. To make hasty Growing Coppice-Woods.
1790. Ambler, Reports, 131. All coppice woods are liable to tithes.
1811. Pinkerton, Petral., II. 543. The crater being filled with coppice woods and pools of water.
β. 1602. Carew, Cornwall (J.). The East quarters of the shire are not destitute of copse woods.
1732. Mrs. Delany, Corr., I. 376. A little copsewood which is cut into vistas and serpentine walks.
1830. Scott, Demonol., v. 162. Sequestered valleys, and dim copsewoods.
2. The low trees and underwood of a copse.
α. 1809. Bawdwen, trans. Domesday Bk., 7. There is coppice wood there.
1872. Jenkinson, Guide Eng. Lakes (1879), 20. After threading through some coppice-wood.
β. 1664. Evelyn, Sylva, iii. § 16 (R.). Generally copps-wood should be cut close.
1884. Q. Victoria, More Leaves, 291. Trees and copsewood sprinkled about.
3. attrib., as copsewood-oak.
1806. Forsyth, Beauties Scot., IV. 489. There is … one considerable tract of copsewood-oak.
Hence Copsewooded ppl. a.
1862. J. Grant, Capt. of Guard, liv. In many a copsewooded glen.
