Middle English Dictionary Entry
acācia, -ie n.
Entry Info
| Forms | acācia, -ie n. Also accacia, achacia, accasia, ac(c)assia, (Latin accusative) acasiam. |
| Etymology | ML & OF, from Gr. akakía shittah tree. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Med. A gum made from the juice of green plums or sloes (used as an astringent, a restringent, or a repercussive).
Associated quotations
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.24va : Ozimus, þat be another name is cald basilicon .., The sed of him, with a litil pouder off acacie, soden in reyn water & drink þat water, it stauncheth wombe flux off cold cause.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)103a/a : Wiþ laxatif medicines we laxe & vnbynde, as wiþ scamone; wiþ byndinge medicines we byndeþ, as wiþ acacia.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)220/8 : Take galle, acacie..& make þerof a gargarism.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)330/12 : [Repercussives] De gummis: [G]umma pruna, cerase..Acacia, opium.
- a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)9 : Achacia, i. succus prunellarum immaturarum.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)33b/b : Emplastre made of aloen, acacia.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)176b/b : Acacia is Juyse of grene plommez or prunez..it is repercussif strongly.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)63/28 : Medicynez restrictyuez bene þise: Camphore, accacia, spodin, coriandre.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)67/31 : Agaynz ouer mych flux of emoroides..In þe best lumbardez ynk..putte in..gallez, psidie, acacie.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)186a/a : Acassia is þe Juse of grene sloon, & it is colde & drye in þe firste degree with repercussioun.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)44/17 : Take..acasiam, þat is jus of wod-slon.
- a1484 Diseases Women (2) (Trin-C R.14.52)500/464 : Take ypoquistidos, acasia, lapis ematiste ana ʒ 1, make powder and drynke it with the juse of roses or ellis with rose water or powder of anathasia ℥ 3 idrunke with the juce of sloue.
- a1500 Platearius CInstans (Cmb Ee.1.13)7/27 : For castyng þat comyth of febilnes of stomak .. take accasia and mummya oþer dragagant oþer gum arabike and distemper hit wyth gleyre of egges and make a plastre.
- a1500 Platearius CInstans (Cmb Ee.1.13)8/7 : For whote postemus in þe begynnyng of hem, make a plastre of accassia & of þe iuse of sum kold herbe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: DuCange: "ACACIA. Succus prunellarum agrestium" [Diefenbach]; DuCange "ACCASIA. Succus prunellarum agrestium, succus expressus a pomis vel piris, cidre, poiré" [Diefenbach]. Lewis & Short: "acacia, -ae, f. 1. The acacia-tree, the Egyptian pod-thorn: Mimosa Nilotica, Linn.; described by Pliny 24, 12, 67, sect. 109 sq.; 2. the juice or gum of the same." DMLBS: "acacia (vr. acatia), juice of plums or sloes ... 'succus prunellorum non maturorum.'" Alphita: "Acacia: succus desiccatus prunellarum agrestium immaturarum." Platearius Circa Instans: "Acatia. Est autem acatia succus prunellorum immaturorum. Fit autem sic: ante tempus maturitatis colliguntur prunella: & succus eorum extrahitur & ad solem postea bene desiccatur, huiusmodi succus desiccatus de acatia habet autem virtuem constrictiuam & confortatiuam per annum potest seruari." Garrido-Anes: "gum made from the juice of green plums or sloes (Acacia nilotica); juice of the blackthorn fruit (Prunas spinosa)."