Pl. uvæ. [L. ūva grape, uvula, etc. (whence It., Pr., Sp., Pg. uva, F. uve).]
† 1. (See quot.) Obs. rare–1.
App. an error for, and misunderstanding of, UVEA.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 67. Oliue … is good for the diseases of the ey called vua, and for wheles. [Hence in Langham, Garden of Health (1579), 439.]
2. Bot. A grape or raisin; a grape-like fruit.
1670. Evelyn, Sylva (ed. 2), 25. Nor may we here omit to mention the Galls, Misletoe, Polypod, Agaric (us’d in Antidots) Vuæ, Fungus’s to make Tinder. [Hence in Mortimer, Husb. (1707), 327.]
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., Uva, Grape. See the article Grape.
1862. M. C. Cooke, Man. Bot. Terms, 87. Uva, (Lat. a grape), applied to such succulent indehiscent fruits as have a central placenta. [Hence in Imp. Dict. (1884), and later Dicts.]
1892. C. E. Armand Semple, Elem. Mat. Med., 225. Uvæ—Raisins.—The ripe fruit of Vitis Vinifera.
3. Uva ursi, the bearberry, Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi, a trailing plant valued as furnishing an astringent tonic.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., There is only one known species of the Uva Ursi, which is the plant called … the whortle-berry.
1786. Abercrombie, Arrangem., 39, in Gard. Assist. Evergreen Trees and Shrubs [include] … Uva ursi, or bearberry.
1820. Good, Nosology, 454. The powder of the uva ursi,… recommended by Linnéus as [a] valuable lithontriptic.
1822. Encycl. Metrop. (1845), XIV. 742. As a remedy the Uva-Ursi was used by the ancients.
1873. Bentley, Man. Bot. (ed. 3), 562. Trailing Arbutus.—The leaves and stems possess similar properties to Uva-Ursi.
b. Med. The leaves of the bearberry, or an infusion of these.
1805. Med. Jrnl., 465. A combination of such medicines with the uva-ursi, was … administered.
1842. Brande, Dict. Sci., etc. 138. The leaves of this plant, under the name uva ursi, are used as an astringent and tonic in medicine.
1892. C. E. Armand Semple, Mat. Med., 318. Uva ursi may also be used for gleets.
Hence † Uval a., = UVEAL a. 1. [Cf. F. uval.]
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Uval,… pertaining to a Grape or Vine.
