Middle English Dictionary Entry
ērūke n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ērūke n. |
| Etymology | L ērūca. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Caterpillar, worm, ?cabbage worm.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Joel 1.4 : A locust eete the residue of eruke, that is, a worme of bowis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Amos 4.9 : Olyuetis..and fijge placis, eruke [WB(2): a wort worm] eete.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.173rb : Þe leues [of mulberry] arn noyous to brukes & erukes, i. flies & a chouere.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.64r : Eruca, an eruk, .. is a litel werm þat gnaweþ & fretyþ þe braunchis & leuys of erbes, & namely of wortys (þe peple callen suche wermys 'ponchowns'); Eruca is seyde of erodere, 'gnawyn,' & comownly it comown of papilyons, boterflyes, of maukys of flyes.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.8/6,8,10 : iiii vices, of the whiche spekith the prophete Ioel, seiyng: The residue of the Eruce etyth the buttyrflye..vndirstondyng lecherie by Eruca..Note well that Eruca ys a worme that growith of the worttys.
2.
Any of certain plants of the mustard family, as perh. rocket Eruca sativa and wild rocket Sisymbrium officinale.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)224a/a : Eruca is an herbe and som tyme tame and som tyme wilde, hoote and temperynge moyste, and neisshynge and openynge.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)119 : White peper or white senuey is clepid in latyn eruca.