ointment
(ˈɔɪntmənt)
Forms: α. 3–5 oygnement, (3–4 pl. -menz, -mens), 4 oigne-, oyni-, ungne-, une-, uine-, 4–5 oyne-, 4–6 oyn-, 5 ony-, hone-, unȝement. β. 4–5 untement, 6 ungt-, Sc. unt-; 4–7 oynt-, 5–6 oynte-, 6 oynt-, -oynct-, 4– ointment.
[ME. oignement, a. OF. oignement:—L. type *ungu(i)mentum for unguentum unguent, f. unguĕre to anoint. In 14th c. conformed to the vb. oint as ointment; first in northern texts.]
1. An unctuous preparation, of a soft consistence like that of butter, often mixed with some medicament, used chiefly for application to the skin, for medicinal purposes, or as a cosmetic; an unguent. a fly in the ointment: see fly n.1 1 e.
| α c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 245/171 Nimeth here þis guode oygnement. a 1300 Cursor M. 17288+92 Mary maudlayn.. And marie salome, hade boght þam oynemenz. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 6105 An vnement purchast he Þat made his visage out of ble. c 1350 Will. Palerne 136 A noynement anon sche made. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 631 Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (E.E.T.S.) 23 Wen sho hauis laid hir plaisters and hir vinemens. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 247 Vsynge of honementys aftyr the tyme and complexcione. 1530 Palsgr. 249/1 Oynment, oignement, oyncture. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. ii. xii. 17 b, The unȝementis & drogareis y{supt} our forbearis vsit. |
| β c 1325 Metr. Hom. 17 Scho hauid boht this ointment. c 1375 Cursor M. 14005, 14062 (Cott. MS.). c 1400 Destr. Troy 7526 With oile and with ointment abill þerfore. 1435 Misyn Fire of Love 59 Þe vntementis precius. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon vii. 169 He enoynted Reynawde with an noyntement. 1526 Tindale John xii. 3 All the housse smelled off the savre off the oyntment. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 42 The divelish hag..With wicked herbes and oyntments did besmeare My body. 1696 Whiston The. Earth Introd. 11 Our Lord says of the Woman who poured the Oyntment on him. 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 137 Physicians dissolve it in the juice of certain herbs, and make an ointment of it. 1820 Scott Ivanhoe xxxvii, She had given him a pot of that precious ointment. |
| fig. a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1429 The oynement of holy sermonynge Hym loþ is vp-on hem for to despende. |
† 2. Anointing, unction.
Obs.| 1510–20 Everyman in Hazl. Dodsley I. 132 Receive of him..The holy sacrament and ointment together. 1526 Tindale 1 John ii. 20 Ye have an oyntment of the holy gost. 1621 R. Brathwait Nat. Embassie (1877) 85 But he expected ointment..there He stands. |
3. Comb., as
ointment-maker;
ointment-like adj.;
ointment-carrier, an instrument for introducing ointment into the body.
| 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xxxviii. 7 The oynement makere shal make pymentis of swotenesse. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. iii. (1495) 553 The oynement boxe that the gospel spekith of. c 1540 Recipe in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. ix. 226 A Cataplasme made vngtment-lyke. 1552 Huloet, Oyntment maker, vnguentareus. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. III. 744 In place of the injection, ointment may be introduced by means of one of Allingham's ointment-carriers. 1899 Daily News 29 May 4/7 Coroner: What do you call yourself? Witness: Well, an ointment maker. |