well-cress Now dial.
[OE. wyllecærse, -cerse: see well n.1 and cress.]
Water-cress, Nasturtium officinale.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 140 Seoð mid wylle cærsan [L. cum fæno græco]. c 1000 Ags. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 298/16 Fenegrecio, wyllecerse. 1393 Langland P. Pl. C. vii. 292 Ȝut were me leuere..lyue by welle-carse(s) Þan haue my fode and my fyndynge of false menne wynnynges. 14.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 597/24 Nasturcium, walcarse. Ibid. 712/17 Hoc nastucium, welcresse. 1597 in Spalding Club Misc. (1841) I. 105 Sche commandit the said Johne..to eat valcarss. 1808 Jamieson, Well-kerses, water-cresses, called also wall- or well-grass. 1894 Northumbld. Gloss. s.v. Kars, Watter-kars, water-cress; also called well-karses. |