Forms: 3 agune, 4–7 awne, 5 awene, (avene, nawn), 6 aane, ane, aune, 7 hawne, 8 ang, 7– awn. [apparently a. ON. ögn, pl. agnar str. f. (Sw. agn, Da. avn(e); cf. OHG. agana, MHG. agene, agne, ane, mod.G. ahne, Goth. ahana. The OE. form does not occur.] The delicate spinous process, or ‘beard,’ that terminates the grain-sheath of barley, oats, and other grasses; extended in Bot. to any similar bristly growth.
a. 1300. W. de Biblesworth, in Wright, Voc., 155. Des arestes, fro agunes.
c. 1375. ? Barbour, St. Blasius, 345. Quha-sa-euire in þare throt Seknes has, awne ore mot Ore ony-kine perplexite.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 18. Avene of corn (v.r. awene, awne), arista.
c. 1450. in Wright, Voc., 233/2. Hec arista, a nawn.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 34. Polerde wheate hath noo anis.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 17 a. Ye barley eare … hath longe aunes.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, II. 189. Not that the Hawnes thereof are Spears to fright the Mildew from it, but advantageous Gutters to slide it away the sooner.
1737. Bracken, Farriery (1756), I. xi. 103. A Brush made of a few Rye or Barley-angs.
1805. Luccock, Nat. Wool, 37. The singular hooked awn, or spinous termination of the scales of the receptacle [of the teazle].
1870. Hooker, Stud. Flora, 230. Anthers with dorsal awns, Whortleberry, Bilberry.
b. Comb. awn-like a., resembling an awn.
1879. Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., 227. The awn-like seeds of other [grasses].
