Laxative

a. and sb. Also 4–6 laxatif, -yf(e, 6 laxitive. [a. F. laxatif, -ive, ad. L. laxātīv-us, f. laxāre: see LAX v. and -ATIVE.]

  A.  adj. Having the property of relaxing.

  1.  Of medicines, food, etc.: Having the property of loosening and evacuating the bowels.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxii. (1493), 675. Some oyle … is laxatyf and nesshynge.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 184. I ne knewe no medicyn laxatif þat is so good.

1481.  Caxton, Reynard, xxxii. (Arb), 90. He knewe … alle the herbes … whiche were viscose or laxatyf.

1547.  Boorde, Brev. Health, § 110. Vse laxatiue meates … if nede do require.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. III. Furies, 646. Our Glysters laxative.

1660.  F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 185. Tortoises … excellent meat,… but are so laxative, they cause even Disenterias.

1732.  Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, I. 244. Tamarinds, Astringent, yet laxative to the lower Belly.

1789.  W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 293. Fomentations and laxative clysters are by no means to be omitted.

1809.  Pinkney, Trav. France, 222. Those countries are most healthy where, from an ordinary laxative diet, the body is always kept open.

1861.  Bentley, Man. Bot., 579. Some [of the Compositæ] are laxative and anthelmintic.

  2.  Of the bowels, or the bodily constitution: Loose, subject to ‘flux’ or free discharge of the fæces. Of a disease: Characterized by such discharge. Now rare.

1546.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 34. Ye would … geue me a purgacion. But I am laxatiue inough.

1573.  Baret, Alv. L 153. Letise is good to make one laxitiue or go to y^e stoole.

1608.  Middleton, Fam. Love, III. iii. What a laxatiue fever shakes me.

1620.  Venner, Via Recta, v. 90. A very good medicinable meate, for such as are too laxatiue, and subiect to fluxes.

1635.  Brereton, Trav. (Chetham Soc.), I. 130. My body was always … inclined to be laxative and soluble.

1708.  Brit. Apollo, No. 38. 3/2. You seem prone to Excess, Whence this Laxative Ailing arises.

1722.  Quincy, Lex. Physico-Med. (ed. 2), Laxative, signifies loose in Body, so as to go frequently to stool.

1801.  Med. Jrnl., V. 261. Bowels laxative, tongue and skin healthy.

1822–54.  Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), I. 194. If confined in youth, in advanced life they [the bowels] are often laxative.

  b.  transf. Unable to contain one’s speech or emotions. ? Obs.

1601.  B. Jonson, Poetaster, Apol. Dial. Fellowes of practis’d and most laxative tongues.

1607.  W. S., Puritan, III. F 2. I am of such a laxatiue laughter, that if the Deuill him selfe stood by, I should laugh in his face.

1622.  T. Scott, Belg. Pismire, Pref. 2. My owne Countri-men haue tongues laxative enough, and Strangers are in their wordes … libertines.

a. 1639.  W. Whateley, Prototypes, I. vi. (1640), 85. This sinne proceedeth from a twattling laxative humour causing that a man must vent all he knows and be talking of many things.

  3.  Having a loosing power, affording remission or relief. rare.

1645.  Milton, Tetrach., Wks. 1851, IV. 216. A law giving permissions laxative to unmarry a wife and marry a lust. Ibid. (1649), Eikon., xiv. 138. The simpler sort he furnishes with laxative, hee termes them general clauses, which may serve to releeve them against the Covnant tak’n.

  B.  sb. 1. A laxative medicine; ‘a slightly purgative medicine which simply unloads the bowels’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.).

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1898. Hym gayneth neither for to gete his lif, Vomyt vpward ne dounward laxatif. Ibid., Nun’s Pr. T., 142. Er ye take youre laxatyues, or lawriol, Centaure, and ffumetere.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 333. Whanne his body is maad clene wiþ laxatiuis.

1412–20.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. iii. And made him [sc. Cerberus] voide his venym in ye strife And upwarde gaue hym suche a laxatyfe That all the worlde his brethe contagyous Infected hath.

1572.  Mascall, Plant. & Graff. (1592), 57. The iuyce of Elder,… of Turbith, or such like laxitiues.

1612.  Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 154. Thou maist also give the partie some laxative.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, III. vi. 83. Lenitives, Aperitives,… Laxatives.

1822–34.  Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), I. 37. If the bowels be confined, we must employ cooling laxatives.

1874.  R. Hooper’s Physic. Vade M., I. v. (ed. 9), 230. Brown bread often proves an effectual laxative.

  † 2.  ? Relaxed condition of the bowels, ‘flux.’ Obs. rare.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Reason & Sens., 3439. The drynke … Which the mynystres of babel Maden … And gaf hyt to kyng Sedechye Wher thorgh he had a laxatyf That he shortly lost hys lyf.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xxxiii. 140. He cowth gif cure for laxatyve.

1527.  Andrew, Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, A ij b. Who so drynke the same [walwort] water at eche tyme ii ounces or two ounces and a halfe causeth laxatyfe.