melilot
(ˈmɛlɪlɒt)
Forms: 5–8 mellilot, 6 mellylot(e, melli-, millelote, 6–9 melilote, 6– melilot.
[a. OF. melilot (mod.F. mélilot), ad. late L. melilōtos, a. Gr. µελίλωτος, -ον, a sweet kind of clover, f. µέλι honey + λωτός: see lotus. Cf. Sp., Pg. meliloto, It. mel(l)iloto.]
A plant of the leguminous genus Melilotus, esp. M. officinalis or Yellow Melilot, the dried flowers of which were formerly much used in making plasters, poultices, etc.
| c 1410 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xii, Oyle of camamylle and of mellilot. 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe (1541) 11 Meates inflatynge or wyndye: Beanes: Lupines:..Mellylote. 1541 R. Copland tr. Guydon's Quest. Chirurg. Y iv b, Y⊇ decoction of moleyn, camomille, millelote. 1548 Turner Names Herbes (E.D.S.) 52 Melfrugum...It may be called in englishe whyte melilote. 1587 L. Mascall Govt. Cattle, Horses (1596) 154 One ounce of the powder of mellilot. 1728 J. Gardiner tr. Rapin's Of Gardens 18 Sweet-scented Mellilot. 1778 Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Horsheath, This part of the county abounds with melilot, whose seeds mix so much with the corn..that it gives a taste to their bread, which is very disagreeable to strangers. 1864 Swinburne Atalanta 1354 Every holier herb, Narcissus, and the low-lying melilote. 1883 Encycl. Amer. I. 480/1 Such plants as white or alsike clover, or melilot, catnip..etc. |
| fig. 1748 Richardson Clarissa VII. 330 Will not some serious thoughts mingle with thy melilot, and tear off the callus of thy mind? |
b. attrib., as
† melilot-emplaster,
melilot-flower,
melilot-plaster;
melilot trefoil,
Medicago lupulina.
| 1676 Wiseman Surg. v. i. 351 To which purpose Sponges were prest out of *Melilot Emplaster, and the Wound fill'd with them. 1694 Salmon Bate's Dispens. (1713) 205/1 A Melilot Emplaster or Colewort-leaf may be applied. |
| c 1540 in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. ix. 226 The pouldre of *mellilote flowres. 1826 Sporting Mag. XIX. 27 Water distilled from the melilot flowers has been held to improve the flavour of other substances. |
| 1712 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 24 Apr., At last I advised the doctor to use it like a blister, so I did with *melilot plasters, which still run. 1795 Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 276, I would not put my melilot plaister on the back of the hangman. |
| 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 319 *Melilot Trefoil, Trifolium. |