digestive, a. and n.
(dɪˈdʒɛstɪv, daɪ-)
Also 6–7 dis-.
[a. F. digestif -ive (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. dīgestīvus, f. dīgest- ppl. stem of dīgerĕre to digest: see -ive.]
A. adj.
1. a. Having the function of digesting food; engaged in or pertaining to digestion.
| c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 1053 The sayd vegetable [the soul] hath in her four vertues..the atractyve or appetityve, the retentyve, the digestyve, and expulsive. 1610 Markham Masterp. i. vi. 16 The vertue digestiue whereby it concocteth and disgesteth. 1725 N. Robinson Th. Physick 253 To..raise the digestive Powers to their natural Standard. 1837 M. Donovan Dom. Econ. II. 23 Resting on a couch, until the digestive organs have recovered the fatigue. 1841–71 T. R. Jones Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4) 109 The digestive cavity..is exceedingly short. |
b. in reference to plants.
| 1875 Darwin Insectiv. Pl. xiii. 301 Experiments..on the digestive power of Drosera. 1884 Bower & Scott De Bary's Phaner. 100 According to this digestive function these organs may be termed Digestive glands. |
2. a. Promoting or aiding digestion; digestible.
| 1528 Paynel Salerne's Regim. Q ij, Through the digestiue heate of the night. 1616 B. Jonson Epigr. ci, Digestive cheese, and fruit there sure will be. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. May blossom, As to the medicinal Vertues of this Plant; it..is digestive. 1760–72 tr. Juan & Ulloa's Voy. (ed. 3) I. 99 These waters are very light and digestive, and..good to create an appetite. 1863–72 Watts Dict. Chem. II. 327 Digestive salt, Syn. with Chloride of Potassium. 1881 Times 18 May 6/1 The most digestive and nutritious bread. |
b. spec. Designating a type of wholemeal biscuit. Also ellipt.
| 1876 Off. Guide Cunard Steamship Co. 158 (Advt.), Huntley & Palmers..Digestive Biscuits. 1894 L. Heritage Cassell's New Universal Cookery Book 1022 Digestive Biscuits.—Required: a pound of finely-granulated, or..wholemeal [flour], half a pound of white flour [etc.]. 1925 St. John Ervine Anthony & Anna i. 24 Which will you 'ave, sir—the charcoal or the digestive biscuits? 1935 G. Bullett Jury xxiii. 234, I had to open a parcel of grocery to find the right kind of biscuits... Digestives were what she fancied. 1949 N. Mitford Love in Cold Climate ii. ii. 194 A few rather broken digestive biscuits. Ibid. 197 Weeks since I tasted digestives, my favourite food, too. 1955 Observer 19 June 7/5 Biscuits long known as digestive are being renamed sweetmeal. |
3. Pertaining to or promoting chemical digestion.
| 1651 Biggs New Disp. ¶287 Wanting its digestive ferment. a 1691 Boyle Hist. Air (1692) 210 We removed the..receiver, and put it on the digestive furnace. 1799 De Crell in Phil. Trans. LXXXIX. 63 Applying only a digestive warmth. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory I. 131 To submit their contents to a digestive heat. |
4. Promoting healthy suppuration in a wound or ulcer; as digestive ointment: see B 2.
† 5. Characterized by bearing without resistance or in silence. Obs.
| 1608 Heywood Sallust's Jugurth iii, Adherbal was..no souldier, of a frolicke disposition, disgistive of injuries. |
† 6. That tends to methodize and reduce to order.
| 1662 Dryden Astræa Redux 89 To business ripened by digestive thought, His future rule is into method brought. |
B. n.
1. A medicine or substance promoting digestion of food.
| c 1386 Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 141 A Day or two ye schul have digestives Of wormes, or ye take your laxatives. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence 14 And so I seie of medicyns comfortatyues, digestyues, laxatyues, restriktyues, and alle oþere. 1612 Enchyr. Med. 97 Wee leaue our digestiues..and proceede to other medicines. 1700 Dryden Fables, Cock & Fox 189 These digestives prepare you for your purge. 1883 in Syd. Soc. Lex., Digestives. |
2. A substance which promotes healthy suppuration in a wound or ulcer; digestive ointment (Unguentum terebinthinæ compositum).
| 1543 Traheron Vigo's Chirurg. (1586) 436 In Chirurgerie a digestive is taken for that that prepareth the mattier to mundification. 1582 J. Hester Secr. Phiorav. ii. xi. 91 You shall dresse it with a digestiue vntill it be mundified. 1643 J. Steer tr. Exp. Chyrurg. xv. 62, I applyed this following digestive with soft plegets upon the incisions. 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 240 The Wound requires a strong Digestive. 1767 Gooch Treat. Wounds I. 136 Linnen cloth, spread with the common Digestive. 1854–67 C. A. Harris Dict. Med. Terminol., Digestives, in Surgery, substances which, when applied to a wound or ulcer, promote suppuration. |
† 3. An agent of chemical digestion. Obs. rare.
| 1477 Norton Ord. Alch. v. in Ashm. (1652) 62 But our cheefe Digestiue [printed -ure] for our intent, Is virtuall heate of the matter digerent. |