gromwell
(ˈgrɒmwəl)
Forms: 4 gromyl(e, gromylyoun, 5 gromylle, -ille, grumelle, -eyle, 5–6 gromaly, -ely, 5–9 gromel(l, 6 grommel(l, -all, gremile, grumle, 6–7 grummel(l, grumble, 7 gromwel, grumell, 7–9 gromil(l, 7– gromwell.
[a. OF. gromil (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), gremil (16th c.), mod.F. grémil, of doubtful origin. The form gromwel(l is late and the w is app. due to analogy with speedwell. See also graymill.
As to the possible origin of F. gromil, grémil, several suggestions have been made. Its derivation from grānum milii is impossible on account of the early form gromil, but the 15th c. variants grinnil, grenil perhaps exhibit some popular etymologizing approximation to grain. Hatz.-Darm. suggest that the second part is the word mil ‘millet’, while the first is of indeterminate origin.]
The common name for any of the plants of the genus Lithospermum (N.O. Boraginaceæ), characterized by hard stony seeds, which were formerly much used in medicine.
| a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. v. 27 Ase gromyl in grene grene is the grone, Ase quibibe and comyn cud is in crone. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 43 Gilofre, gyngure & gromylyoun. a 1387 Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.) 23 Granum solis, i. milium solis, i. gromil. c 1425 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 645/38 Hec gensta, gromylle. c 1450 ME. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 75 Ad lapidem Take gromylle [v.r. gromel seed] & percil. 1589 Cogan Haven Health xxv. (1636) 46 Grummell is..not used in meats but in medicine, especially the seeds. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iv. i. iii. (1651) 368 For the kidnies, grumell, parsly. 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece i. iv. 243 Take Seeds of Smallage, Treacle Mustard, Gromwell and Parsley. 1851 S. Judd Margaret i. xvi. 135 Yellow bent spikes of the gromwell. 1888 Daily News 14 June 5/1 The gromwell adds a touch of imperial purple. |
b. Preceded by a defining word forming the designation of a particular species.
common gromwell,
Lithospermum officinale.
corn gromwell,
L. arvense, Bastard Alkanet.
purple (or creeping) gromwell,
L. purpureo-cæruleum.
c. Applied also to the genus
Onosmodium (
false gromwell).
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens ii. ciii. 289 The Gromell is of two sortes, one of the garden, the other wilde: and the garden Gromell also is of two sortes, great and small. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. clxxx. §1. 486 The great Gromell hath long slender and hairie stalkes. 1657 W. Coles Adam in Eden ccxxv. 354 Great upright Gromel..is that which usually groweth in Gardens. 1804 Med. Jrnl. XII. 124 Bastard gromill, salern, corn gromwell, painting root, bastard Alkanet. 1837 Macgillivray Withering's Brit. Plants (ed. 4) 111 L[ithospermum] officinale. Common Gromwell. Gray⁓mill..L. arvense. Corn Gromwell..L. purpuro-cæruleum. Creeping or Purple Gromwell. 1894 Times 21 May 12/1 The tall-growing corn gromwell, or bastard alkanet. |
d. attrib., as
gromwell seed;
† gromwell-gainer, a ‘skinflint’, miser.
| 1588 J. Harvey Discoursive Probl. conc. Proph. 70 Hath not euery vocation..yeelded some such counterprophets, and pennyfathers, very *gromelgainers? |
| c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. (E.E.T.S.) 77 Onoþer of Mede affermyd mekyl profyt to vse greynes melyens fastyng, þat er *Gromell sedes. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 213/2 Gromaly, herbe (gromely sede), milium solis. 1544 T. Phaer Regim. Lyfe (1553) B j b, A bagge of gromell sedes. 1553 Respublica i. i. 24 But to rake grumle sede Avaryce ys a Lone. 1573 Tusser Husb. xlv. (1878) 97 Gromel seed, for the stone. 1694 E. Floyd in Phil. Trans. XVIII. 46 Of the form and bigness of Gromwel-seeds. |