▪ I. blossom, n.
(ˈblɒsəm)
Forms: 1 blostm, blostma, 1–2 blosma, 2–4 blostme, 2–5 blosme, 3 blossem, Orm. blosstme, 4–5 blossum, 4–8 blossome, (5 blosle), 6 bloosme, blossum(m, 7 blosom, 4– blossom.
[OE. blóstm str. masc., blóstma, blósma wk. masc., cognate w. MDu. and Du. bloesem, MLG. blosem, blossem; cf. also ON. blómst-r masc. Generally referred to the same root as bloom (blō̆-); some consider blos- an extended stem = L. flos, flor-; others with greater probability take the -st as well as -m as a suffix.]
1. ‘The flower that grows on any plant, previous to the seed or fruit. We generally call those flowers blossoms, which are not much regarded in themselves, but as a token of some following production.’ (J.)
Blostma, blosme was the OE. word for ‘flower’, previous to the adoption of ON. blóm (bloom), and OF. flor, flur (flower). See bloom n.1
a. An individual flower (with pl.)
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 7 Mid eallum missenlicum afeddum blostmum sy se Cristes brydbur ᵹefrætwod. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 236 Genim þysse ylcan wyrte blostman. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 109 Iliche þan treo þe bereð lef and blosman . and nane westmas ne bereð. a 1225 Ancr. R. 276 Breres bereð, rosen, & berien, & blostmen. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 143 The braunches ful of blosmes softe. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. iii. 64 Thou prun'st a rotten tree, That cannot so much as a blossome yeelde. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 148 Blossoms and Fruits at once of golden hue Appeerd. 1756 Burke Subl. & B. Wks. I. 209 An orange-tree, flourishing at once with its leaves, its blossoms, and its fruit. 1822 Byron Heav. & Earth i. iii. 730 Yet quivers every leaf, and drops each blossom. |
b. collectively. The mass of flowers on a fruit-tree, etc. (
Cf. bloom n.1 1 c.) Hence
in blossom. Also said of grain, grass, etc.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8256 Was neuer tre suilk blossem bare. a 1400 Morte Arth. 6 (Roxb.) Hyr rode was rede as blossom on brere. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 41 Blosme, or blossum, frons. 1769 Washington Diaries (1925) I. 327 The head [of the wheat] was shot out, and in many places in Blossom. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 120 One plum tree have I seen in blossom. 1869 Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. 1868 423 F. V. Stewart..states that his practice has been to commence cutting the grass when in the ‘second blossom’. 1878 B. Taylor Deukalion iii. i. 107, I go with the flying blossom, as I came with the flying seed. |
c. fig. (by
simile.)
| 1789–94 Blake Songs Exp., Lit. Girl Lost 34 O the dismal care That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair. 1842 Tennyson Œnone 76 He prest the blossom of his lips to mine. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. §18. 130 Nature..showered down upon us those lovely blossoms of the frost [snow-crystals]. |
2. fig. a. An attribute, product, or token, compared in its character to the preceding.
| c 1230 Hali. Meid. 11 Meidenhad is te blosme þat beo ha eanes fulliche forcoruen ne spruteð ha neauer eft. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. Introd. iv, Amongst them all growes not a fairer flowre Then is the bloosme of comely courtesie. 1692 Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 259 Which takes away all the Blossom of the good they do us. 1775 Sheridan Duenna i. iii. 192 The rich blossoms of my daughter's beauty. 1843 Prescott Mexico ii. i. (1864) 67 The first blossoms of that literature which was to ripen into so rich a harvest. |
b. One lovely and full of promise.
| c 1440 York Myst. xxxvi. 138 Allas! þat þis blossome so bright Vntrewly is tugged to þis tree. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iv. ii. 72 Sweet blowse, you are a beautious blossome sure. 1591 ― 1 Hen. VI, iv. vii. 16 There di'de My Icarus, my Blossome, in his pride. 1847 Tennyson Princ. v. 79 My babe, my blossom, ah, my child. |
c. A stage of development which answers to that of blossom.
Cf. flower,
bloom.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 192 Ine blostme of ower ȝuweðe. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. v. 76 Thus was I..Cut off euen in the Blossomes of my Sinne. a 1656 Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 8 Mine hopes nipt in the blossome. 1662 J. Bargrave Pope Alex. VII (1867) In the blossom of his popedom, he did one of the worthiest actions of his life. |
3. techn. a. Mining. ‘The oxidized or decomposed outcrop of a vein or coal-bed, more frequently the latter.’ (Raymond
Mining Gloss.) Also, radiated quartz (
U.S.).
b. The colour of a horse whose hairs are white interspersed with sorrel or bay, peach-colour; a horse so coloured.
| 1819 H. R. Schoolcraft View of Lead Mines of Missouri 71 This variety of quartz has acquired the popular name of blossom of lead, or mineral blossom. Ibid. 91 In searching for ore, the soil, the slope of the hills, spar, blossom, trees, etc., are taken as guides. 1882 J. H. Beadle Western Wilds (ed. 2) xxxiv. 560 We are certainly near the outcrop from which the ‘blossom’ was broken. |
4. Comb. and
attrib., as
blossom-ball,
blossom-bough,
blossom-time;
blossom-bearing,
blossom-bordered,
blossom-bruising,
blossom-laden adjs.;
blossom-faced a., having a red bloated face; so
blossom-nosed;
blossom-headed a., (of a parrot) having a rose-coloured head;
blossom-rock U.S. (see sense 3 a).
| 1864 Tennyson Aylmer's F. 87 He..Had..to pleasure Edith..Made *blossom-ball or daisy-chain. |
| 1847 ― Princ. v. 353 Above the garden's glowing *blossom-belts. |
| 1839 Bailey Festus xix. (1848) 197 *Blossom-bordered, silvery paths. |
| a 1845 Hood Depart. Summ., Under the hawthorn's *blossom-bough. |
| 1784 Cowper Task v. 141 *Blossom-bruising hail. |
| 1859 Tennyson Vivien 131 Foot-gilt with all the *blossom-dust of those Deep meadows. |
| 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iv. ix. Half a dozen *blossom-faced men. |
| 1867 J. Ingelow Dreams came true l, The *blossom-laden trees. |
| 1871 Colorado Gaz. 156 The ‘*blossom rock’ (quartz stained with metallic oxides), which indicates the proximity of mineral deposits, differs but little in gold and silver lodes. 1878 J. H. Beadle Western Wilds xxx. 479 Men were let down from above to ‘prospect’, a crevice was found with blossom rock. |
| 1713 Lond. & Countr. Br. iii. (1743) 166 *Blossom-time is accounted dangerous for brewing. 1860 J. Kennedy Horse Shoe R. vii. 89 Up to the blossom-time of life. |
▪ II. blossom, v. (
ˈblɒsəm)
[OE. blóstmian, ME. blosme(n, f. prec. n. Cf. Du. bloesemen, and bloom v., flower v.] 1. intr. To put forth blossoms, bloom, flower.
| c 890 K. ælfred Bæda v. xii, (Bosw.) Ðæs blostmiendan feldes. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 218 Though I be hoor I fare as dooth a tree That blosmeth er þat fruyt ywoxen bee. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 40 Blomyn, or blosmyn. 1527 Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters A ij b, Whan it begynneth to blossome. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. iv. 383 Fruites that blossome first, will first be ripe. 1704 Pope Spring 42 Now hawthorns blossom, now the daisies spring. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 587 Huge trees that branch'd And blossom'd in the zenith. 1882 Vines Sachs' Bot. 935 Parasites and saprophytes..which vegetate below and blossom above ground. |
2. transf. and
fig.| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 140 Sithen þei blosmed obrode · in boure to here shriftes. 1388 Wyclif Ps. lxxi[i]. 16 Thei schulen blosme [1382 floure] fro the citee, as the hey of erthe doith. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iii. ii. 353 This is the state of Man; to day he puts forth The tender Leaues of hopes, to morrow Blossomes, And beares his blushing Honors thicke vpon him. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. i. 458 'Tis Beauty always in the Flowre That buds and blossoms at fourscore. 1847 Longfellow Ev. i. iii, One by one..Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. |
b. Const.
into.
| 1852 Longfellow Gold. Leg. i. 28 They make the dark and dreary hours Open and blossom into flowers. 1884 Manch. Exam. 27 Oct. 5/3 The historic craft of the barber..has blossomed into an art. |
c. Const.
out.
| 1894 G. du Maurier Trilby I. ii. 162 He..blossomed out into beautiful and costly clothes..so that people would turn round and stare at him. 1929 J. B. Priestley Good Compan. ii. vii. 447 Very shortly, you'll see, I shall be Blossoming Out—and then I shall expect a cable from S. Africa. 1947 Auden Age of Anxiety (1948) ii. 39 Black umbrellas blossom out. |