Obs. Forms: 4 enplaster, -tre, 5–7 emplastre, -aister, -ayster, -aystre, (6 erron.emplasture); also 6–7 implaster, -aister. [a. OF. emplastre (F. emplâtre), L. emplastrum, ad. Gr. ἔμπλαστρον plaster or salve, f. ἐμπλάσσειν, f. ἐν in + πλάσσειν to mold.]
1. Med. or Surg. = PLASTER.
1382. Wyclif, Isa. xxxviii. 21. Thei shulden taken an hep of fyges, and … make an enplastre vpon the wounde.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. vii. Lectuary, emplaystre, or pocyon.
a. 1500. Med. Receipts, in Rel. Ant., I. 54. Tak everferne … and tak mynt, and mak ane emplaster.
1564. Becon, Gov. Virtue (1566), 50 b. Neither hearbe nor emplasture hathe healed them.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. xcix. 141. Oyntments, oyles, or emplaisters.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XX. ix. If the said implaister be made with bean-meale.
c. 1720. W. Gibson, Farrier’s Dispens., III. xvi. (1729), 302/2. The whole is brought to the Consistence of an Emplaster.
1750. Chambers, Cycl., Emplaster,… popularly called Plaster.
1809. Parkins, Culpepper’s Eng. Physic. Enlarged, 361. The Greek emplaisters consisted of these ingredients.
fig. 138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 166. Enplaster of cursing for heele of monnis soule.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 256/2. Minister some spirituall implaster.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 79. Lay on the soveraign emplaisters of the most precious and meritorious mercy of our blessed Redeemer.
2. Used to render L. emplastrum: see EMPLASTRATION 1.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 518. The manner of graffing by way of emplaistre or scutcheon.
Hence † Emplasterwise, adv., in the form of a plaster, as a plaster is applied.
1551. Turner, Herball, I. C iij b. It [amomum] helpeth them, that are bytten of scorpiones laid to emplaisterwise with basill. Ibid. (1562), II. 13 b. The sede [of sonne flower] layd to emplasterwise, dryeth away hanginge wartes.
