pursive, a. arch.
(ˈpɜːsɪv)
Also 5–6 -syf(e, 6 -sife, -cyfe.
[a. (?) AF. porsif, app. phonetic var. of OF. polsif, in Cotgr. poulsif, mod.F. poussif (L. type *pulsīv-um), f. OF. polser, F. pousser in sense ‘to breathe with labour or difficulty’:—L. pulsāre to drive or agitate violently, freq. of pellĕre to drive. Porsif is given as Fr. in quot. 12.., and pourcif in Palsgr. 1530, but there is no evidence of its use in continental Fr., and the substitution of r for l was prob. English, perh. from some association with purse, which becomes evident in the later form pursy.]
Short-winded, broken-winded, asthmatic: originally said esp. of a horse.
(Cf. F. cheval poussif; pousse ‘maladie des chevaux caractérisée par l'essoufflement, par le battement des flancs, et particulièrement par une interruption de l'inspiration’.)
| [12.. Miracula S. de Montfort (Camden) 68 Comitissa Gloverniæ habuit palefridum asmaticum, gall[ice] porsif'.] 1398 [see pirre]. 1530 Palsgr. 321/2 Purcyfe, shorte wynded or stuffed aboute the stomacke, pourcif. 1552 Huloet, Pursyfe manne, anhelator, anhelus. 1601 Holland Pliny xx. xiii. II. 58 For the curing of foure footed beasts..broken winded and pursive. 1707 Floyer Phys. Pulse-Watch 157 If my Pulse be 90, I am always Pursive, but 95 makes me Asthmatick. 1831–43 Youatt Horse xii. 278 The pursive or broken-winded horse should not stand idle..a single day. |