‖ sumen
(ˈs(j)uːmɛn)
[L. sūmen:—*sūgmen, f. sūgĕre to suck.]
A sow's udder, the dugs of a sow; formerly Anat., the hypogastrium. † Also transf., the fat or rich portion of a thing; also attrib. in sumen-soil.
| 1662 J. Chandler Van Helmont's Oriat. 239 The undunged fields of Bohemia do yield lesse tartarous fruits than those which were fattened..with the dung of living Creatures, wherein..this earthy Sumen or fattening juyce doth voluntarily melt: Because this Sumen-soil should produce a Tartar in Herbs. a 1716 South Serm. Prov. i. 32 (1727) IV. 79 They could not have had Leisure to think upon their Sumens, their Mullets,..and the like..had the Gauls been beseiging their Capitol. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl., Sumen, a word used by some anatomical writers to express the hypogastrium. 1788 Wolcot (P. Pindar) Peter's Proph. Wks. 1816 I. 453 Who sent you once the sumen of a sow. |