[f. SPEAR sb.1]

1

  1.  The common garden mint, Mentha viridis, much used in cookery.

2

1562.  Turner, Herbal, II. (1568), 54. Thys herbe is called with us gardin mynte, and as far as I remembre, it is called spere mynte, and if it be not named so, it may well be called so of the sharpnes of the lefe.

3

1584.  Cogan, Haven Health, xvi. 38. One [kind] most fragrant in sauour … is called Spere Mint, and is vsed to be put in puddings.

4

1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccxv. 552. The leaues of Speare Mint are long like those of the Willow tree.

5

1620.  Venner, Via Recta, vii. 153. Of these two, the Speare-Mint is the more excellent.

6

1666.  Boyle, Orig. Forms & Qual., 124. Raphanus Aquaticus, Spearemint, and even Ranunculus it self, did grow … in Viols filld with fair water.

7

1717.  Berkeley, Jrnl. Tour Italy, Wks. 1871, IV. 552. Air perfumed with speermint growing over an ample space.

8

1779.  Forrest, Voy. N. Guinea, 247. In this garden he had … onions, parsley, spearment, and the Spanish raddish.

9

1807.  P. Gass, Jrnl., 103. There is in the bottoms a great quantity of spear-mint and currant bushes.

10

1811.  A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 255. Spearmint is stomachic and carminative.

11

1882.  Garden, 6 May, 320/1. Mint should now be planted, both the Spearmint and Peppermint.

12

  b.  With pl. A plant of this.

13

1539.  Elyot, Cast. Helthe, 78. Mylke, newe mylked, wherin is put … three leaues of good speare myntes.

14

1620.  Venner, Via Recta, ii. 44. Take … of Speremints, of Balme, of each one handfull.

15

  2.  attrib. and Comb., as spearmint-leaf, oil, root, water.

16

1662.  R. Mathew, Unl. Alch., 192. Put into it one quart of Rose-water, and one quart of Spermint-water.

17

1681.  Grew, Musæum, I. vii. ii. 165. Not Oval, but rather expressing the figure of a Speer-Mint-Leaf.

18

1757.  A. Cooper, Distiller, II. v. (1760), 126. The simple Waters now commonly made, are Orange-flower-water,… Spear-mint-water [etc.].

19

1786.  Abercrombie, Gard. Assist., 306. Plant spear-mint roots in a hot bed.

20

1857.  Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., vii. § 1. 448. Indifferent oils, such as spearmint oil (C20 H20 O2).

21

1860.  Warter, Sea-board, II. 29. All I could give her was some spearmint water.

22