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▪ I. osmund1|ˈɒzmənd| Forms: 3–7 osemond, 5–8 osmond, (5–6 -monde), 5– osmund, (5–6 -munde, 7 osmound, 9 oosement). [From Sw. or LG.: cf. OSw. (1340) osmunder, in comp. osmunds- (osmunds-iærn osmund iron), Sw. osmund; also Da. (1402) osmund, mod.Icel. ásmundr (both from Sw.); MLG. osemunt (Schiller & Lübben), Westph. dial. ôsemund (Woeste). The actual origin is obscure; the name has been in use in Sweden from early times, and also goes back to an early date in Westphalia; no certain etymology is known either in Sw. or LG. The Eng. form from 1400 appears to be from Sw., but the earlier examples have the MLG. form (which, however, might be due to Hanseatic traders). In 1281 it is referred to as ferrum Normannicum, Northmen's iron. Iron and copper were brought to England by Gotlanders a 1300. Sense 2 is prob. a distinct word.] 1. A superior quality of iron formerly imported from the Baltic regions, in very small bars or rods, for the manufacture of arrow-heads, fish-hooks, bell-gear, etc. Used as a material-name; also, with pl. osmunds, a bar or rod of this. b. Also, more fully, osmund iron, osmund bar. As to the early production of osmund iron in Sweden (from bog-iron ore) see R. Åkerman in Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. (1898) No. 2; also Kinman Bergverkslexicon II. 233, Hildebrand Sveriges Medeltid I. 225, 732, Falkman Om mått och vigt I. 412, and many other Swedish works. For its appearance in Eng. documents, see E. Peacock in Proc. Soc. Antiquaries 22 Jan. 1880, also Rogers Agric. & Prices I. 470, etc. (Numerous entries from 1280 to 1510.) The osmunds were imported put up in sheaves, packed in barrels, 12 (or 13) of which made a last.
1280in Rogers Agric. & Prices II. 457/2 (cites from Ersham, Norfolk) [1 garb Osemond 1/2]. 1376Rolls Parlt. II. 328/1 Un last de Osmond. 1408in Rogers III. 347/1 (cites from Windsor) [Osemond 4 garb at /8]. 1400–12Compotus in C. Frost Hist. Notices of Hull App. 18 Dr Willo. Bird pro ij last' dī landirn', ix bund' fruoldirn', ix bar' osmond. 1428Surtees Misc. (1888) 1 Makers and utterers of fals osmundes... He cuttyd aboute xxvj peces of fals Inglysh iryn..and made þam in shappe of osmundes. Ibid. 2 And þay war made to blend with gude osmundes. a1450Fysshynge w. Angle (1883) 6 Ye schall make youre hokes of steyle & of osmonde. 1465Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 301 My mastyr paid for iij. sheffe Osmond..ffor to make arow hedes, ij.s. a1490Botoner Itin. (Nasmith 1778) 315 Polelond..ibi est coper, osmond, gold, sylver. [Sweden]..ibi est cuprum, osmond, in magna fertilitate. 1540Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 14 Item for euery last of osmondes accomptyng .xiii. barrels for a last .viii.s. 1598Hakluyt Voy. I. 167 Halfe a last of osmundes. 1753Maitland Hist. Edin. iii. 248 For every cwt of Osmond brought into Leith 8 pennies. 1880E. Peacock in Proc. Soc. Antiq. 22 Jan. 257 Osmunds were clearly..the very best iron,..probably used only for the finest purposes, such as arrow heads, fish hooks,..and the works of clocks. b. [1488Act 3 Hen. VII, c. 9 §1 Other Stuff as Lynen Cloth..osmonde Iren Flax and Wax.] 1594Compt. Buik Dav. Wedderburne (S.H.S.) 132 To wair 8 gudlenis on pes or osmond iron. 1823Mechanic's Mag. No. 5. 71 Comparative strength of Metals..Bar [Iron] 8·492, Oosement bar 8·142, Cable 7·752. 1898R. Åkerman in Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. No. 2. 9 In certain very remote parts of the country osmund iron, though in rather small quantity, was still produced from bog ore up to the end of the last century. c. attrib. osmund bar, o. iron (see b); osmund furnace, a small primitive sort of furnace for reducing bog-iron ore, formerly used in Sweden, Finland, etc.; osmund piece, an osmund bar.
1864J. Percy Metallurgy 619 Descriptions of other processes, such as the Sulu process, the Osemund process..will be found in various treatises. Ibid. 320, I shall distinguish it by the name of the Osmund furnace, from the Swedish word osmund, which was applied to the bloom produced in this kind of furnace. 1898R. Åkerman in Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. II. No. 2. 7 In the Middle Ages and down to the 16th century, these osmund pieces were very commonly used as currency in the absence of the more precious metals. 1902B. H. Brough in Let. 16 Apr., Osmund furnaces were in operation in Jemtland in 1830, and in Finland even later. 2. osmund stone: see quots.
1613M. Ridley Magn. Bodies 3 This stone is called the Magnet..we call it the Load-stone... And it is well termed the Osmound Stone, because he is as it were Os Mundi, the bone of the world. 1806Forsyth Beauties Scotl. III. 10 In the parishes of Eaglesham, Kilbarchan, and others, there has been found what is called the osmund stone... It is generally so soft, when lately quarried, that it may be cut with a chisel... It is used for ovens, furnaces, etc. ▪ II. osmund2|ˈɒsmənd, ɒz-| Also 6 osmende, -monde. [In med.L. osmunda, F. osmonde (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), AF. osmunde: of unknown origin.] †1. A name formerly given to various ferns. Obs. (Quot. c 1265 may be in sense 2. The Male Fern, Lastrea Filix-mas, was formerly called Osmund Royal.)
[c1265Voc. Names Pl. in Wr.-Wülcker 556/43 Osmunda, i. osmunde, i. bonwurt.] c1450M.E. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 192 Tak wermot,..weybrode, the rote of osmund [etc.]. 1548Elyot, Dryopteris, is an herbe, which groweth on old oken trees..lyke to ferne:..Some call it Osmende royall. 1578Lyte Dodoens iii. lx. 401 The Male Ferne..Of Mattheolus and Ruellius it is called Osmunde Royall. Ibid. lxiii. 405 Considering the propertie of this herbe [Dryopteris, white and black] in taking away heare, as also for a difference from the other Oke Fernes and Osmundes, we do thinke good to name this herbe..Osmunde Baldepate or Pylde Osmunde... The blacke..may be very wel called in our tongue, Small Osmunde, or Petie Ferne. 1579Langham Gard. Health (1633) 230 The root of male Fearne, called Osmund roial. 1611Cotgr., Feuchiere des chesnes, Oake-fearne, pettie fearne, mosse-fearne, pild Osmund. 2. Now, the ‘Flowering Fern’, Osmunda regalis Linn., having large bipinnate fronds with terminal panicles of sporangia; also (since 1600) called osmund royal, royal fern, king fern; formerly Osmund the waterman, St. Christopher's herb. b. Also as the Eng. form of the name of the genus (of which six species are known).
1578Lyte Dodoens iii. lxi. 402 We may cal it..Osmonde the Waterman, Waterferne, and Saint Christophers herbe. 1611Cotgr., Feuchiere aquatique, Water Fearne, Osmund, Osmund royall, Osmund the Waterman, S. Christophers hearbe. 1658Sir T. Browne Gard. Cyrus iii. 154 In the root of Osmund or Water fern every eye may discern the form of a Half Moon. 1711Phil. Trans. XXVII. 350 A particular sort of creeping Osmund or Flowring Fern. 1851S. Judd Margaret ii. i. (1871) 162 Clusters of tall osmunds, straight as an arrow. 1880Dawkins Early Man vi. 125 In the marshes there were alders, osmund royal, and marsh trefoil. |