menstruous, a.
[ad. OF. menstrueus, ad. L. type *mēnstruōsus, f. mēnstruum: see menstruum and -ous.]
1. Of a female: Having the catamenia.
| 1535 Coverdale 2 Esdras v. 8 Menstruous wemen shal beare monsters. 1615 Crooke Body of Man 667 A menstruous woman doth infect a looking glasse as it were with some materiall corruption. 1638 G. Sandys Par. Lam. i. 70 Jerusalem, O thou of late belov'd, Now like a Menstruous Woman art remov'd. 1752 T. Dale tr. Freind's Emmenol. viii. (ed. 2) 55 The same is also testified by Anatomists who have dissected menstruous Women. |
2. Pertaining to the catamenia.
| 1599 T. M[oufet] Silkwormes 67 From menstruous blasts and breathing keep them freed. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 599 Their troublesome menstruous purgation. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iii. xvii. 147 At the first point of their menstruous eruptions. 1752 T. Dale tr. Freind's Emmenol. i. (ed. 2) 1 The menstruous Purgation. 1834 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) IV. 35 note, This blood has been taken for the menstruous fluid. |
† b. Produced from menstrual blood. (Cf. menstrual a. 2 c.) Also, secreting menstrual blood. Obs.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §900 Therefore all Sperme, all Menstruous Substance, [etc.] haue euermore a Closenesse, Lentour, and Sequacity. 1782 A. Monro Compar. Anat. (ed. 3) 60 The only organs of generation..are two menstruous bags. |
† 3. Defiled with, or as with, menstrual blood (in the Old Testament referred to as the type of horrible pollution). Hence, in the 17th c. often: Horribly filthy or polluted. Obs.
| 1560 Bible (Genev.) Isa. xxx. 22 Ye shal..cast them away as a menstruous cloth. Ibid., Isa. lxiv. 6 marg., Our righteousnes and best vertues are before thee as vile cloutes, or, (as some read) like the menstruous clothes of a woman. a 1626 Sclater Serm. Exper. (1638) 103 Shall man compared with God be righteous? Mans righteousnesse is more then menstruous in that comparison. a 1631 Donne Serm. lxxvi. 768, I must carry into his presence a menstruous conscience and an ugly face. 1685 Bunyan Pharisee & Publ. 53 All our Righteousnesses are as menstruous Rags. |
† 4. Lasting for a month; = menstrual a. 1 b. Obs. rare.
| 1657 W. Blois Mod. Policies (ed. 7) E 8, Conscience, which the Politician hath so much abused by an inveterate neglect, that it is become Menstruous, Ephemeral. 1866 in Treas. Bot. |
Hence † ˈmenstruousness, menstruous condition.
| 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 30/1 Ther monthlye sicknes, or menstruousnes. 1642 J. Eaton Honey-c. Free Justif. 374 The filthy menstruousnesse of our sanctification. 1682 tr. Erastus' Treat. Excomm. 10 Women in their menstruousness, or men having a Gonorrhea. 1727 in Bailey vol. II. |