scion
(ˈsaɪən)
Forms: α. 4 si-, syoun, 5–6 syon, syun, 6–7 si-, syen, 6 sion, 7 seyon. β. 5 cyun, 6–9 cion, 7–8 ci-, cyen, cyon. γ. 6 scyence, 6–7 science, 6–7 siens, sient, 7 sience, cions, cyons, -ens, sciance, cyence, scient. δ. 4, 8–9 scyon, 5 scioun, 7 sci-, scyen, 5– scion.
[a. OF. cion, ciun, cyon, sion, mod.F. scion (Picard chion), of obscure origin.
The early forms in OF. are inconsistent with the commonly assumed derivation from scier to saw.]
1. † a. gen. A shoot or twig; also, a sucker. Obs. exc. fig. b. spec. A slip for grafting, a graft.
| α c 1305 Land Cokayne 74 in E.E.P. (1862) 158 Þe siouns beþ al sedwale. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 166 As a sioun mai not bere fruyt but if it stonde stable in þe vyne. 1388 ― Num. xiii. 24 Thei..kittiden doun a sioun with his grape, which twei men baren in a barre. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 457/2 Syvn, of a tree. 1483 Cath. Angl. 341/2 A Syon or A twige. 1513 Douglas æneis iii. i. 71 The thrid syon of treis [L. tertia hastilia]. 1590 Greene Neuer too late Wks. (Grosart) VIII. 97 A crooked sien will proue a straight tree. 1615 R. Brathwait Strappado (1878) 170 Seyons young tender plants Where the quire of woodbirds chants. 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 843 The graffing of a sien into the stocke. 1693 Evelyn De la Quint. Compl. Gard. Refl. Agric. 75 Young Siens growing out at the Roots. |
| β c 1440 Promp. Parv. 79/1 Cyvn' of a tre, surculus, vitulamen. 1572 L. Mascall Plant. & Graff. (1592) 14 When trees shall be thus proined, they shall bring great Cions from their rootes, which shall be frank & good to replant. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 92 From Roots hard Hazles, and from Cyens rise Tall Ash. a 1722 Lisle Husb. 441 Cyons grafted upon suckers. 1796 C. Marshall Gardening vii. (1813) 85 Proper stocks being ready, and cions or buds procured. 1802 W. Forsyth Fruit Trees xxii. (1824) 304 The cion preserves its natural purity and intent, though it be fed and nourished by a mere crab. |
| γ 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. (1525) 46 The scyences growynge aboute the tree of the same. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 76 The yoong sciences plucked from the rootes of the trees will growe. 1597 Gerarde Herbal i. xxv. 34 The roote..from the which there doth shoote foorth manie yoong sciences. 1600 Surflet Country Farm iii. v. 431 The litle sciences of cherry trees growne thick with hairie roots..being remooued [etc.]. 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus ii. 14 No more than a sient can bring forth fruit which is not set into a stocke. 1626 Bacon Sylva §453 If you can get a Cions to grow vpon a Stocke of another kinde. 1657 Austen Fruit Trees i. 48 Graft every Cyence into its own kind. 1688 Holme Armoury ii. v. 87/1 Suckers,..sprouts: some call them Sciences. |
| δ 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. cxviii. (Tollem. MS.), Propago is a ȝonge spray of a vyne, þat spryngeþ of a scyon. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. ii. 89 Lest the sciouns crokidly vp crepe. 1619 T. Taylor Comm. Titus Ded., Not tied to it as scion to a tree. 1791 E. Darwin Bot. Gard. i. 104 Emerging scion, or awaken'd seed. 1814 Southey Roderick xix. 78 Ne'er shall it clothe its boughs Again, nor push again its scyons forth. 1849 H. Miller Footpr. Creat. xii. (1874) 217 The species propagated itself by seed, bud, or scion. 1882 Garden 25 Mar. 200/1 In making the scions only the well ripened portions of such shoots are used. |
c. fig. and in
fig. context.
| 1590 Lodge Rosalynde (1592) A 4 b, Shewe your selues siens worthie of so florishing a tree. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. i. 1 Some of the vertuous race Rose up..That cropt the branches of the sient base. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 93 You see (sweet Maid) we marry A gentler Sien, to the wildest Stocke. 1658 Milton Lett. State Wks. 1851 VIII. 404 To prevent the extirpation of this most antient Scien of the purer Religion. 1684 T. Hockin God's Decrees 161 To be really in Christ, is to be grafted into him with the Cyon of divine grace. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 45 Upon that body and stock of inheritance we have taken care not to inoculate any cyon alien to the nature of the original plant. 1818 Busby Gram. Mus. 429 Imitation, a scion of which the Fugue is the parent-tree. 1821 Lamb Elia i. Imperf. Sympathies, An humble and secular scion of that old stock of religious constancy. |
2. An heir, a descendant.
| 1814 Mrs. J. West Alicia de Lacy IV. 248 To guard the precious scion of a noble house. 1816 Byron Dream ii, Herself the solitary scion left Of a time-honour'd race. 1817 Malthus Popul. I. 135 Young scions are then pushed from the parent stock, and instructed..to gain happier seats for themselves by their swords. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. 22 No son of a kingly father, no scion of legendary heroes. 1871 Dixon Tower III. vi. 51 A scion of the imperial Hapsburg line. |