windlestraw Sc. and dial.
(ˈwɪnd(ə)lstrɔː)
Forms: 1 windelstreaw, -streow, 6 Sc. wynd-, windilstray, 7 windle-strawe, 8–9 Sc. winlestrae, 9 dial. windle-, winnelstrae, -stray, etc., 7– windlestraw.
[OE. windelstréaw, ? f. windel windle n.1 + stréaw straw n.]
1. A dry thin withered stalk of grass, such as is left standing after the flower or seed is shed.
In north. dial. shortened to windle.
| a 1000 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 273/23 Calmum, windel⁓streow. 1513 Douglas æneis vii. Prol. 134 With hyrstis harsk of waggand wyndilstrays. a 1585 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 303, I stakkerit at the windilstrayis. a 1598 D. Ferguson Scot. Prov. (1641) 328 He that is redd for windlestrawes, should not sleep in lees. 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 76 If the weather bee harde and sharpe, and the hey shorte and good, they [sc. sheep] will not leave soe much as a pile of grasse or a windle-strawe. a 1722 in M. P. Brown Suppl. Dict. Decis. (1826) IV. 793 To restrict him to the fifth part of the rent, was to send him to lift the rest of his stipend from windlestraws and sandy laverocks. c 1730 Ramsay Fables xix. 67 They'll start at winlestraes. 1815 Shelley Alastor 528 Tall spires of windlestrae Threw their thin shadows down the rugged slope. 1821 Scott Pirate iv, The air is close,..and the day so calm, that not a windle⁓straw moves on the heath. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xxi. ii. VI. 350 Think what a fine figure of rye and barley, instead of mere windlestraws, beggary and desolation, was realised by that act alone. 1872 Browning Fifine ix, Thistle fluffs and bearded windlestraws. |
2. A name for various long-stalked species of grass, as Cynosurus cristatus (dog's-tail grass), Lolium perenne (rye-grass), and Agrostis Spicaventi. Also windlestraw-grass.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 44 Wiþ earwicgan, ᵹenim þæt micle greate windel streaw twyecge. 1636 Johnson Gerarde's Herbal i. iii. 6 Reed-grasse..in Latine..Spica venti agrorum... Some.., much agreeable to the Latine name, call these, Windle-strawes. 1775 J. Anderson Ess. Agric. 418 The crested dogs-tail-grass, Cynosurus crystatus, commonly known in Scotland by the name of Windlestraw⁓grass. 1801 Leyden Elfin-King xiii, The windlestrae, so limber and grey [note, Rye-grass]. 1862 Mrs. Norton Lady of La Garaye Prol. 112 The pale tufts of the windle⁓strae grass Hang like locks of dry dead hair. |
3. fig. a. Applied to something (material or immaterial) light, trifling, or flimsy; occas. contemptuously to a spear or lance.
| 1637 Rutherford Lett. 6 Jan. (1671) 414 No windle-straws, no bits of clay, no temptations..will then be able to with⁓stand you. 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. xi, Not one has the courage to throw his windlestraw while he perceives that of another pointed against himself. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss-Hags xl, He grippit me with one hand and drew his windle⁓strae of a sword wi' the other. 1905 Times Lit. Suppl. 25 Aug. 267/3 Her..blank verse and other heavy..things..have none of the life and sweetness of her windlestraw. |
b. Applied to a thin lanky person, or one of feeble health or character.
| 1818 S. E. Ferrier Marriage xxxiv, A wheen puir feckless windlestraes. 1836 J. M. Wilson Tales II. 214/2 D'ye ken that this winnle-straw o' a lassie..has won the kirn? [1845 Carlyle Schiller i. 30 An honest man you may form of windle-straws; but, to make a rascal, you must have grist.] 1907 ‘Q’ Poison Isl. xxxi, A thin, windlestraw of a man. |