terebinth
(ˈtɛrɪbɪnθ)
Forms: 4 theribynte, terebynt, 5–6 therebinthe, 6 terebynte, -bint, -binthe, teribinth, 6– terebinth.
[= OF. therebint(e (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), -binthe, -bin, terebinte (Godefroy Compl.), = Sp., It. terebinto; ad. L. terebinth-us (Pliny), a. Gr. τερέβινθος, earlier τέρβινθος and τέρµινθος, prob. a foreign word.]
1. A tree of moderate size, Pistacia Terebinthus, N.O. Anacardiaceæ, a native of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia, the source of Chian turpentine, and a common object of veneration; also called turpentine tree, and Algerine or Barbary mastic-tree.
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxxv. 4 [Jacob] indeluede hem vndur an theribynte, that is bihynde the cite of Sichem. 1382 ― Ecclus. xxiv. 22, I as terebynt streiȝte out my braunchis. 1535 Coverdale Isa. vi. 13 As the Terebyntes and Oketrees bringe forth their frutes. 1578 Bible (Genev.) Ecclus. xxiv. 18 margin, Terebinth is a hard tree..whereout runneth y⊇ gumme called a pure turpentine. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 86 Here growes Melampode..And Teribinth, good for Gotes. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 389 In Syria grows the Terebinth or Terpentine tree... This fruit of the Terebinth ripeneth with grapes. 1609 Bible (Douay) 1 Kings xiii. 14 He..found him sitting under a terebinth. 1860 Tristram Gt. Sahara vii. 112 The terebinth is a fine oak-like tree, with a close-grained hard black wood..standing usually in solitary dignity. 1863 W. A. Wright in Smith's Dict. Bible I. 858/1 (Idolatry) The terebinth at Mamre, beneath which Abraham built an altar. 1885 Bible (R.V.) Isa. vi. 13 As a terebinth, and as an oak. |
b. Also terebinth tree.
| 1572 J. Bossewell Armorie iii. 23 b, The fielde is of the Moone, a Therebinthe tree, Saturne, floured and leafed, Veneris. 1861 E. A. Beaufort Egypt. Sepul., etc. II. xvi. 36 All about Kedesh there is still a remarkable number of lofty terebinth trees. |
† 2. The resin of this tree; = turpentine. Obs.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 51 b/1 Presente to that man yeftes, a lytyl reysyns and hony..therebinthe and dates. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xv. 99 b, To make [their hair] grow..they vse by continuall artifice Terebinthe and vernish. 1672–3 Grew Anat. Roots i. iii. §21 The Root of Common Wormwood bleeds..a true Terebinth, or a Balsame with all the defining properties of a Terebinth. |
Hence † tereˈbinthen (in 5 terebynten) a., of terebinth; † tereˈbinthial, -ian adjs., of or belonging to the terebinth, or to turpentine; terebinthine.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. iii. 1018 Putte in euery hole a wegge or pyn, A birchen here, a terebynten there. 1747 Gentl. Mag. Mar. 146/2 The Irish prelate's Terebinthian draughts Dilute all Antitrinitarian thoughts. 1750 G. Hughes Barbadoes 158 These and every other Part of this Tree have so much of a terebinthial Quality in it, that it will..burn like a candle. |