[L. sūmen:—*sūgmen, f. sūgĕre to suck.] A sow’s udder, the dugs of a sow; formerly Anat., the hypogastrium. † Also transf., the fat or rich portion of a thing; also attrib. in sumen-soil.
1662. J. Chandler, Van Helmont’s Oriat., 239. The undunged fields of Bohemia do yield lesse tartarous fruits than those which were fattened … with the dung of living Creatures, wherein … this earthy Sumen or fattening juyce doth voluntarily melt: Because this Sumen-soil should produce a Tartar in Herbs.
a. 1716. South, Serm., Prov. i. 32 (1727), IV. 79. They could not have had Leisure to think upon their Sumens, their Mullets,… and the like … had the Gauls been beseiging their Capitol.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., Sumen, a word used by some anatomical writers to express the hypogastrium.
1788. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Peter’s Proph., Wks. 1816, I. 453. Who sent you once the sumen of a sow.
