† ˈmalshave Obs.
Forms: 1 mælsceafa, 2 mæslesceafa, 4 malschave, 5 malschawe.
[OE. mælsceafa (? mǽl-); the first element may, if the vowel be short, be cogn. w. ON. mǫl-r (Sw. mal-, Da. m{obar}l), Goth. malô moth; the second element (cf. sceafa plane) is cogn. w. shave v., but the intended sense of the compound is not clear.]
A caterpillar.
| c 1000 ælfric Gram. Gloss. (Z.) 310 Eruca, mælsceafa. c 1150 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 544/13 Eruca, mæslesceafa. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 19 Þanne as þe grete flye folweþ þe tras of þe malschave [MS. B malschawe, Caxton malshawe, L. erucam] so after oþer woo com þe pestilence of þe Ismaelites. |