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ˈwater-cress
[Cf. MLG., MDu. waterkerse, G. wasserkresse.]
1. The hardy perennial, Nasturtium officinale (N.O. Cruciferæ), found in abundance near springs and in small running streams, and now widely cultivated for use as a salad. Also applied to other species of Nasturtium.
Often in pl., esp. as denoting an article of food; in the 17th and 18th c. the sing. is hardly found.
a. sing.
a1400–50Stockh. Med. MS. p. 209 Watercresse, nascorium gallicanum. a1425tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. (1910) 76 Þise bene herbez necessary to þe werk of clistry, scilicet Violette, maluez,..watercresse. 1597Gerarde Herbal ii. xvii. 201 Water Cresse being boiled in wine [etc.]..is verie good against the scuruie. 1599A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 75/2 To make sownde Teeth. Take Watercresse, and rubbe the same with wine, and heerwith washe your mouth often times. 1796Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) III. 581 Sisymbrium sylvestre,..Creeping Water Cress. 1800E. Darwin Phytol. xi. 269 In the winter months the rise of springs may be detected by the presence of aquatic plants, as of water-cress. 1881F. G. Heath My Garden Wild xiii. 216, I grew in my stream, some Watercress, whose pinnate leaves are so frequently eaten. 1902Cornish Naturalist Thames 124 The artificial culture of water-cress is comparatively modern.
b. pl.
13..K. Alis. 5767 Withinne grene and mychel weed, Waterkressen and heighe reed. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 352 Seþe malue, paritorie, violet, watircressen in watir & lete þe patient sitte þeron anoon to þe nauele. c1450Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.) 165 Senacio, narstucium aquaticum idem,..watercresses. 1528Paynell Reg. Sanit. Salerni (1541) 85 Watercresses doth cure tothe ache. 1590Lodge Euphues Golden Legacie (1592) O 2, My Loues shall growe vp as the water Cresses, slowly, but with a deepe roote. 1611Shuttleworths' Acc. (Chetham Soc.) 196 Given to a man which gott the watercresses and brooke lime, vjd. 1725Bradley's Family Dict. s.v. Cress, Water-Cresses have a sharp and biting Taste. 1799Southey Cross Roads 8 There were water-cresses growing, And pleasant was the water's flowing. 1834Dickens Sk. Boz, Boarding-ho. ii, Tibbs..began eating water-cresses like a Nebuchadnezzar. 1851–61Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 145/1 The first coster-cry heard of a morning in the London streets is that of ‘Fresh wo-orter-creases’. 1860Longfellow Wayside Inn, Saga K. Olaf vii. 24 He loved..his brook with its water-cresses.
2. Applied (chiefly as book-names) to some other cruciferous plants, esp. Cardamine amara, C. pratensis, and Helioscadium nodiflorum.
a1400–50Stockh. Med. MS. p. 167 Watercresse, Apium ranarum. 1538Turner Libellus, Cresses, water, Cardamine. 1548― Names of Herbes (E.D.S.) 47 Lauer or Sion is called of some englishe men Bellragges, of other some yealowe watercresses. 1578Lyte Dodoens v. lx. 625 The seconde kinde is called..in Englishe, the lesser Watercresse, and Coccow flowers. 1597Gerarde Herbal ii. xviii. 201 There be sixe kindes of wilde herbes numbered among the water Cresse which followe in order. 1866Treas. Bot. 347 Cress, American Water. Cardamine rotundifolia.
3. attrib. and Comb. as water-cress-bed, water-cress-gatherer, water-cress-growing vbl. n., water-cress sandwich, water-cress soup; water-cress green, a particular shade of green.
1906Daily Chron. 21 Aug. 7/6 Extensive *watercress beds.
1902Cornish Naturalist Thames 125 A notice warning off the poor *water-cress gatherer.
1884Daily News 27 Oct. 2/1 A costume of this in *watercress green is made.
1902Cornish Naturalist Thames 124 *Water-cress growing is an increasing business in the Thames Valley.
1911W. J. Locke Glory of Clementina Wing xxi. 310 He picked up from a plate a little three-cornered *water⁓cress sandwich. 1978P. Moyes Who is Simon Warwick? xii. 143 Tea had been laid out..silver teapot and milk jug, wafer-thin watercress sandwiches.
1858Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Water-cress seller.
1923W. G. R. Francillon Good Cookery (ed. 2) 102 (heading) *Watercress soup. 1980Redbook Oct. 234/1, I am intent on the food—water cress soup and a salad of butter lettuce.
Hence ˈwatercressed, ˈwatercressy adjs. (nonce-wds.), containing or abounding in water-cress.
1828Wilson in Blackw. Mag. XXIV. 284 Over all the water-cressy and puddocky ditches. 1845Talfourd Vac. Tourists I. 91 We walked on besides a little water-cressed stream. |