▪ I. budding, vbl. n.1
(ˈbʌdɪŋ)
[f. bud v.1 + -ing1.]
1. The action of putting forth buds, sprouting; concr. buds collectively.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ix. vii. (1495) 352 Harueste..wythdrawyth the vertue of buddynge and of spryngynge. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Germement, a budding, a sprouting. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 121 ¶3 Before the first budding of a Horn appears. 1724 Ramsay Tea-T. Misc. (1733) I. 100 Plantings..Where buddings and blossoms appear. 1878 Huxley Physiogr. xv. 252 By..budding and splitting, the corals may form masses of great size. |
2. fig. Springing forth, beginning, ‘germ’.
| 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. A v, Her forward budding in the prime I blasted With wind of pride. 1677 Gilpin Dæmonol. (1867) 461 We must..nip it in the earliest buddings of it. 1741 Watts Improv. Mind ix. (1801) 68 The young buddings of infant reason. 1822 B. Cornwall Let. Boccaccio ii. 44 In budding, happiness is likest woe. |
3. Gardening. The process of inserting a bud from one shrub or tree under the bark of another, so that adhesion takes place; inoculation.
| 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. vii. 184 The proper time for Inoculating or Budding, is..according as the Season happens. 1861 Delamer Fl. Gard. 156 Budding may be performed from June to September. |
4. attrib., as in budding-knife, budding-time.
| 1805 Wordsw. Prel. iii. (1850) 64 A congregation in its budding time Of health. 1831–60 Loudon Encycl. Gard. 656 (L.) With the budding-knife make a horizontal cut across the rind. 1839 Carlyle Chartism viii. 165 There are spiritual budding-times. |
▪ II. † ˈbudding, vbl. n.2 Sc. Obs.
[f. bud v.2 + -ing1.]
Bribery.
| 1640 Pasquil in Bk. of Scotch Pasquils (1868) 144 Ther was houpes for brybes and budding. 1657 S. Colvil Whigs' Supplic. (1751) 92 It's very like, at others budding, He turn'd his coat for cake and pudding. |
▪ III. ˈbudding, ppl. a.
[f. bud v.1 + -ing2.]
1. That buds; in bud, sprouting.
| 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. xvi. (1634) 82 A budding greennesse. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Feb. 58 My budding braunch. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 765 Wanton Kids, with budding Horns. 1814 Southey Roderick xv, Lovely as a budding rose. |
2. fig.
| 1581 Sidney Apol. (Arb.) 67 We might well want words, but neuer matter, of which..we should euer haue new budding occasions. 1648 Herrick Corinna's a Maying, There's not a budding boy, or girle..But is..gone to bring in May. 1664 Dryden Rival Ladies i. i. 186, I will not..crush a budding Virtue. 1753 Smollett Ct. Fathom (1784) 137/2 One unlucky..circumstance blasted..the budding hopes of Melville. 1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. iii. (1878) 33 This gave a great help to his budding confidence. |
Hence ˈbuddingness, budding quality or condition.
| In mod. Dicts. |