Also 6–7 laske. [f. ONF. *lasque = Central OF. lasche loosening, relaxation, f. lasker = lascher (mod.F. lâcher) to loosen.]
1. Looseness of the bowels, diarrhœa; an attack of this; = LAX sb.2 1. Now only in veterinary use.
1542. Fabyan’s Chron., VII. 701. Many honeste persones died of ye hote agues, and of a greate laske.
1574. Newton, Health Mag., 16. Meate excessively ingurgitate and eaten … engendreth … laskes and vomit.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 93. The Cornell tree … is not good for bees, for if they chance to tast the floure therof, they fal presently into a vehement lask.
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., III. xxii. 433. Flixweed, the seed stops laskes, and issues of blood.
1727. Bradley, Fam. Dict., Aniseed, has the Virtue to appease Belly-Rumblings and Gripes, Lask, Vomiting, and the Hiccup.
1803. Macnab, in Prize Ess. Highl. Soc., II. 208. The Lask or Scour … generally originates from feebleness, cold, or grazing on a soft rich pasture, without a mixture of hard grass.
† 2. A laxative, aperient; = LAX sb.2 2.
a. 1500. Image Ipocr., in Skelton’s Wks. (1843), II. 433. They gave ther lorde a laske To purge withall his caske.
3. Comb.: laskwort, a herb supposed to be a remedy for ‘lask’ or diarrhœa.
1647. Lilly, Chr. Astrol., ix. 64. Violets, Laskwort [etc.].
