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VERVAIN.
Veruorj), southern ME, var, Far-forth adv.
Vervail(e, obs. ff.VARVEL.
Vervain (vaiv^n). Bot. Forms : a. 4-6
venieyn(e, -veyn(e, 5, 7 -uoine, 4, 7 verveine,
4, 7-9 vervein. ^. 5, 7 vervaine, 5 -wayne
(warwayn), 6-7 -uaine, 7- vervain. 7. 5-6
veruen(e, 6-7 -ven. 6. 6 veruyne, 6-7 veruine,
6-8 -vine ; 6 veruin, -uyn, 6-7 vervin,
-vyn (7 varvin). [a. AF. and OF. vervcine
(13th c. ; OF. also vervainm^ mod.F. verveine, =
Prov., It. vervetia), ad. L. verbena Verbena.]
1. The common European and British herbaceous
plant, Verbena officinalis^ formerly much valued
for its reputed medicinal properties. Also rarely,
some other species of the genus Verbetta^ or the
genus itself. Cf. Verbena 2.
a. 1390 GowER Con/. II. 262 Tok sche fieldwode and verveyne,
Of hertes ben noghtbetre tueine. c \^oo Lau/ranc's
Cimrg. 243 A 3elke of an eij, & as miche of oile of rosjs, &
as miche of iuys of verueine. 'Z1425 tr. Arderne's Treat.
FiiUda, etc. 64 Vitriol.. made with iuyse of moleyn, or of
plantayne, or verueyn. i6n Cotgr., Verveine, Verueine,
Holie hearbe, lunoes teares. 1706 Stevrns Sp. Diet, i,
Verbena, the Herb Vervein. 1866 Treas. Bot. 1210/1 The
common name of Verbena offichuilis,. .V^x\^\i\y our only
native species. 1874 O'Shaughnessy Music Sf Moonlight
161 Between the pathway and the wood She seemed to make
a softer clime For vervein, violet, and thyme. 1887 Molonky
Forestry {V. Afr. 401 Vervein {Verbena officinalis^ L.).—
Herbaceous plant.
^. a 1400 Stockholm Med. MS. ii. 315 in Anglia XVIII.
315 A lytyll wyl I tellyn of verwayne, Herbe ^at meche is
of raayne. c 1425 Voc. in Wr.-Wulcker 645 Hec ueruena,
warwayn. 1477 Norton Ord. Alck. iiL m Ashm. (1652)
39 Vervaine, Lunara, and Martagon. itt? Gerarde Herbal
ii.ccxxxv. 580 There be two kindes of Veruaine as Pliny
saith, the male, and the female ; or as others affirme, vp.
right, and creeping. i6ix Oravton Poly-olb. xiii. 2i3 And
hard by them againe he holy Vervaine finds. 1671 Salmon
Syn. Med. ui. xxii. 439 Vervain.. is good against Tertian
and Quartan Agues. X7i8 Quincy Coinpl, Dtsp. 132 Vervain
flowers in June and July. 1757 Burkk Abridgm, Eng,
Hist. Wks. X. 196 The Druids also looked upon vervain, and
some other plants, as holy. 178a J. Scott Poet, li^ks. 97
Vervain blue for magic ritei renown 'd. 1816 Scott -4 w/tqitary
xxlii. You have used neither charm,, .magic mirror,
nor geomantic figure. Where be.. your May-fern, your
vervain ! 1830 Lindlev Nat. S^st. Bot. 239 The properties
formerly ascribed to the Vervain appear to have been imaginary.
1873 ^OmnK' Pascareliw.s'x. II. 90 About the feel
of the Tower of Galileo, ivy and vervain, and the Madonna's
herb, grew among the grasses.
y. a 14x5 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula^ etc. 63 Mirabolan
ow to be dissolued in got^ my Ik, ..or in rajTie water or rose
water, or of veruene, or of anot>er stiptikc herbe. 1545
Elyot, Hierobotane, the herbe called Veruen. 1567 Maixet
Gr. Forest 64 Veruen, of some after their language is called
Hoiy Herbe. 1591 Lodge Hist. Dk. Normandy B ij h,
Thou art like the veruen, . .poyson one wayes, and pleasure
an other.
8. 1530 Palscr. 284/2 Vervyn an herbe, uerueyne.
1533 Elyot Cast. Helihe (1541) 9 b, Thynges good for
the eyes ; Eyebryght : Fenell : Vervyn. 1569 Tukner
Herbal 11. 162 The second kinde of Veruine. . . The leaues of
thys . . are good agaynst . . serpentes. 1596 Cogan Haven
Health xxi, 41 Also one olde saying I haue heard of this
herbe. That whosoeuer weareth Veruin and DIM, May be
bold to sleepe on euery hill. 1610 Fletcher Faith/. She/h.
II. i, And thou light VarrJn too, thou must go after, Provok*
ing easie souls to mirth and laughter. 1638 Rawley tr.
Bacon's Li/e