vbl. sb. [f. EARTH v. + -ING1.] Occas. attrib.
1. Burial. northern and Sc.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1190. [Abel had] at his erthing [Gött. birijng, Trin. buryinge] all lede.
c. 1375. Barbour, Troy-bk., II. 2054. Nocht lange eftir his erdinge … Egistus tuke to wyf Cletemistra.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 86. Euerilk clan had … ane commoun erding place.
† b. The state of being buried. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18041. Þat stinkand lazarun fra vs Of his erding þe thridd dai He losed him.
2. The action of heaping (up) earth round a plant.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 195. Several of which [vegetables] … are most of them to be blanch’d by laying them under Littier, and earthing up.
1721–1800. Bailey, Earthing is the covering of Trees, Plants, and Herbs with Earth.
1860. Delamer, Kitch. Gard., 117. All that will be required after, besides these earthings, is a regular supply of air.
† 3. Anchorage. Obs. rare.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angels, 171. Our anchor casts deepe in heaven, where there is good earthing.
4. a. The action of taking refuge in an ‘earth’ or burrow; concr. the earth or burrow itself. b. Driving an animal to its earth; perh. also used for UNEARTHING.
1597. 2nd Pt. Return Parnass., II. v. 830. Do you meane at the vnkennelling, vntapezing, or earthing of the Fox?
1706. Phillips, Earthing, among Hunters, a Term us’d for a Badger’s lodging.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. i. 295. Having found a Fox’s Earth, cause all his Holes you can find to be stopt … in order to prevent his Earthing.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 335. Our party … had its dog… and my companions were desirous of getting his earthing ability tested upon the badger of the establishment.
