Obs. exc. dial. [App. f. QUICK a. + BEAM, but the precise force of the adj. is not clear: cf. G. queck- and quickenbaum (also quitz-, quitzen-, quitschenbaum) service-tree. The name belongs to the south of England.] = QUICKEN sb.1
In OE. glosses, cwicbeam usually renders L. cariscus, which seems to be otherwise unknown, and is perh. an error for tamariscus (cf. quot. 1587 below).
a. 700. Epinal Gloss., 238. Cariscus, cuicbeam.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 66. Þorn, æsc, cwicbeam.
c. 1050. Ags. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 423/23. Iuniperum, quicbeam.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 59. Purgers of melancolye … Bourage: Hartis tongue: Quickbeme.
1562. [see QUICKEN sb.1].
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lii. 727. The barke of one kinde of Sorbus (whiche is our Quickbeme).
1579. Langham, Gard. Health (1633), 628. The barke of the roots of heath may be vsed in stead of the barke of the root of Tamariske, rather then the barke of quickebeame.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., Sorbus, The wild Service or Quack-beam.
1836. Bray, Descr. Tamar & Tavy, vii. 122. Oaks … interspersed with what is called in Devonshire the quick-beam, or mountain-ash.
1873. O’Curry, Lect. Ancient Irish, II. 213. Let them cut down and carry out loads of the quickbeam.
1884. Jefferies, Red Deer, xii. 112. In the Exmoor country the mountain-ash is called the quick-beam.
attrib. c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 78. Wyl on wætere æscrinde, cwicbeam rinde.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. (1568), 59 b. The quikbem tre which is a kynde of sorbus.
1587. Mascall, Govt. Cattle, Hogges (1627), 263. Tamarix, which as I thinke, is called in the English quick-beame wood.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 314. Quickbeam tree, Sorbus.
