Forms: α. 3– spurge. β. 5 spowrge, 5–6 spourge. γ. 5–6 sporge. [ad. OF. espurge (F. épurge), f. espurgier SPURGE v.1]
1. One or other of several species of plants belonging to the extensive genus Euphorbia, many of which are characterized by an acrid milky juice possessing purgative or medicinal properties.
α. 1387. Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.), 11. Anabulla, spurge.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), v. Þei wroteth so depe in þe grounde, tille þei fynde þe rootes of þe ferne and of þe spurge and of oþer rootes.
c. 1450. M. E. Med. Bk. (Heinrich), 219. Tak betoyne, sawge, heihoue, vyolet, spurge, egrimoyne & hony.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. (1568), 31. Spurge purget thynne fleme vehemently.
1585. H. Lloyd, Treas. Health, K iij. Adde thereto Scamony, the herbe called spurge, and an ox gall.
1625. Hart, Anat. Ur., II. xi. 125. It was nothing else but a certaine kind of Spurge.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., ¶ 79. Celandin weepeth a golden juice, and spurge a milky one.
1762. B. Stillingfleet, Misc. Tracts, 98. The spurge, that is noxious to man, is a most wholesome nourishment to the caterpillar.
1794. Gisborne, Walks Forest (1796), 6. Changeful spurge, On redden’d stem with poisonous milk imbued.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agr. Chem. (1814), 245. When a stalk of spurge … is separated by two incisions from its leaves and roots, the milky fluid flows through both sections.
1872. Tennyson, Last Tourn., 356. That he can make Figs out of thistles,… milk From burning spurge.
β. c. 1425. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 645. Hic tintimalius,… spowrge.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xlviii. 368 (Addit. MS.). Then the Crow toke Onyonus and Spourge, and made þerof a playster.
1483. Cath. Angl., 356/1. Spowrge, herba est.
1539. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 84 b. Spourge of the garden one handful.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 358. All the kindes of Tithymal or Spourge are most commonly in flower in June and July.
γ. 14[?]. Nom., in Wr.-Wülcker, 713. Hec spurgia, a sporge.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Hawking, cv. Also take smale flambe rotis and polipodi and the cornes of sporge.
1530. Palsgr., 274/2. Sporge an herbe, espovrge.
b. With various distinguishing epithets.
For caper, Cypress, myrtle, Portland, sea, sun, wood spurge, etc., see these words.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 363. Peplos … is called in English of some Wartwurt,… also Pety Spurge.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, cxxxii. 407. The sixt [kind of spurge is called] Pine Spurge; the seuenth shrub Spurge, the eight tree Mirtle Spurge…; the eleventh tree Spurge; the twelfe Broad leafed Spurge; the thirteenth and fowerteenth Quacksaluers Spurge.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 202. If a woman be … troubled with a fever, let her take half a chœnix of pettispurge, and … nettle-seed.
1611. Cotgr., Espurge, Garden Spurge.
1671. Skinner, Etymol., I. iii. 2/2. Land-leapers-Spurge, Esula major.
a. 1705. Ray, Synop. Stirp. (1724), 312. Tithymalus segetum longifolius,… Long-leaved Corn Spurge.
c. 1711. Petiver, Gazophyl., VIII. § 80. Luzone Dwarf Spurge.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 328. Spurge, Bastard, Euphorbia.
1777. Jacob, Catal. Plants, 113. Euphorbia Exigua, Dwarf Spurge, Small annual Spurge. Ibid., 114. Euphorbia platyphyllos, Broad leaved Spurge.
1796. Withering, Brit. Pl. (ed. 3), II. 447. Euphorbia peplis, Purple Spurge. Ibid., 450. E. hyberna, Knotty-rooted Spurge. Ibid., 451. E. characias, Red Spurge.
1865. Thoreau, Cape Cod, vi. 101. The plants which I noticed here and there on the pure sandy shelf,… were Sea Rocket,… Saltwort,… Sea-side Spurge (Euphorbia polygonifolia).
2. A particular species or plant of this. Chiefly in pl.
1715. Phil. Trans., XXIX. 281. Dr. Tournefort says the Root of this Spurge is a proper Cathartick in Hydropick and Cachectic Bodies.
1741. Compl. Family-Piece, II. iii. 374. Double Lady’s-smock, Spurges of several kinds.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xx. (1794), 283. Spurges having little beauty, they are seldom cultivated in gardens.
1846. Lindley, Veg. Kingd., 275. If … we consider the separation of sexes a great physiological character, the Order of Spurges will join that of Nettles.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 27 Aug., 4/1. If the stem or leaf of one of these spurges be broken, a fluid as white as milk will immediately run from it.
3. Applied, with distinguishing epithet, to a few plants related to or resembling spurge.
1854. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 788/1. Spurge, branched, Ernodea litoralis.
1891. Cent. Dict., s.v. Pachysandra, The plant [P. procumbens] has also been called Alleghany-mountain spurge. Ibid., Slipper-spurge, the slipper-plant.
4. As a moth-name (cf. spurge-moth in 5).
1832. J. Rennie, Consp. Butterfl. & Moths, 80. The Spurge (Acronycta Euphorbiæ) … feeds on the Euphorbia esula, and E. cyparissias.
5. attrib., as spurge family, genus, oil, order, etc.; † spurge comfit, a purgative comfit or sweet; spurge Daphne, the spurge laurel; spurge flax, hawk, -moth, -nettle (see quots.); spurge-olive, the shrub Daphne mezereum; † spurge thyme, petty spurge, Euphorbia peplis.
1619. Dalton, Countr. Just., xciii. (1630), 241. So if one giveth to another *Spurge Comfits or other such thing in sport and not in malice.
1872. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 226. The berries of … *Spurge Daphne are also said to be poisonous to all animals excepting birds.
1849. Balfour, Man. Bot., § 1016. Euphorbiaceæ, the *Spurge Family.
1678. Phillips (ed. 4), *Spurge-flax (Thymelæa), a sort of shrub, whereon grows that rich berry called Coccum Gnidium.
1796. Withering, Brit. Pl. (ed. 3), II. 372. Mezereon. Spurge Olive. Spurge Flax.
1887. Bentley, Man. Bot., 660. The bark of Daphne Gnidium, Spurge Flax, is likewise official in the Paris Codex.
1866. Treas. Bot., 476. Euphorbia, the *spurge genus, which gives its name to the order Euphorbiaceæ, comprises a very large number of species.
1832. J. Rennie, Butterfl. & Moths, 25. The *Spurge Hawk (Deilephila Euphorbiæ) … feeds on various kinds of spurge.
1849. Kingsley, Misc. (1859), II. 269. The great white *spurge-moths … whirred like humming-birds over our heads.
1868. J. G. Wood, Homes without H., xiv. 293. These are moths, belonging to the genus Acronycta, and popularly called Spurge Moths on account of the plant on which they reside.
1847. Darlington, Amer. Weeds (1860), 289. Cnidoscolus stimulosa..., Stinging Cnidoscolus. *Spurge-nettle. Tread-softly.
1836. J. M. Gully, Magendie’s Formul. (ed. 2), 162. Physical Properties of *Spurge Oil. It very much resembles castor oil, and has even the same colour.
1668. Wilkins, Real Charact., 109. Bacciferous sempervirent shrubs:… *Spurge Olive (Thymælæa).
a. 1689. Mrs. Behn, trans. Cowley’s Plants, C.’s Wks. 1711, III. 339. Two lofty Plants, or flowry Giants stand, Spurge-Olive one [etc.].
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 328. Spurge Olive, Daphne.
1796. [see spurge flax above].
1802–3. trans. Pallas’s Trav. (1812), I. 36. The most remarkable, perhaps, are … the Daphne mezereum, or spurge-olive; and the mistletoe.
1887. Bentley, Man. Bot., 672. Euphorbiaceæ, the *Spurge Order.
1548. Turner, Names Herbes (E.D.S.), 60. I neuer sawe peplum but once in Bonony; it had litle smal leaues lyke tyme, and in other facion lyke spourge, wherfore it may be called *spourge tyme in englishe, tyl we can fynde a better name.
