| 释义 |
sassafras|ˈsæsəfræs|
Also 7 saxe-, sasafras, sassa-, saxa-, sarsafrax, 7–8 sassafrass, 8–9 saxafras.
[a. Sp. sasafras (whence Pg. sassafraz, salsafraz, F., G. and mod.L. sassafras.
It is doubtful whether the Sp. word is a transferred application (which, indeed, would be difficult to account for) of a Sp. representation of L. saxifraga saxifrage, or whether it was adopted from some American language; in the latter case the American word seems to have influenced the form of the Sp. name for saxifrage, which according to the native lexicographers has the forms saxifraga, -fragia, -fragua, salsifragia, salsifrex, saxafrax. The Spanish writer Monardes (1571) regards the Sp. name as adopted from Fr., which seems unlikely; he gives the native Indian name as pauame.]
1. a. A small tree, Sassafras officinale (N.O. Laurineæ), also called Sassafras Laurel and Ague-tree, with green apetalous flowers and dimorphous leaves, native in North America, where it is said to have been discovered by the Spaniards in 1528.
The name is frequently applied (chiefly with defining word) to trees of other genera which have similar medicinal properties; e.g.Australian or Tasmanian sassafras (Atherosperma moschata), see plume-nutmeg; Brazilian sassafras (Nectandra Puchury), see pichurim; Cayenne sassafras (Laurelia sempervirens); oriental sassafras (Sassafras Parthenoxylon); swamp sassafras (Magnolia glauca).
1577Frampton Joyfull Newes ii. 46 Of the Tree that is brought from the Florida, whiche is called Sassafras. 1597Gerarde Herbal iii. cxxxvi. 1341 The roote of Sassafras hath power to comfort the liuer. 1622Capt. Smith New Eng. Trials 260 About three hogsheads of Beuer skins and some Saxefras. 1641R. Evelin in Descr. New Albion (1648) 21 There are Cedars, Cypresse, and Sassafras. 1666J. Davies Hist. Caribby Isles 47 They afford Sandal-wood, Guiacum, and Sasafras, all of which are so well known. 1684Penn Let. in Academy 11 Jan. (1896) 36/3 The trees that grow here are the Mulberry,..chesnut, Ash, Sarsafrax. 1726G. Shelvocke Voy. round World (1757) 54 The sassafras, so much esteemed in Europe. 1745P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 12 Sassafrass is here in great Plenty. 1817–18Cobbett Resid. U.S. (1822) 5 The Sassafras in flower, or, whatever else it is called. It resembles the Elder flower a good deal. 1856Bryant Ind. Story x, And there hangs on the sassafras, broken and bent, One tress of the well known hair. 1887T. N. Page Ole Virginia, etc. (1893) 140 An old field all grown up in sassafras.
b. The wood or timber of this tree.
1728Rec. Early Hist. Boston (1883) VIII. 222 No Popler,..Sassifax, Black ash, Basswood, or Ceder Shall be Corded up. 190019th Ann. Rep. U.S. Bureau Amer. Ethnol. 1897–98 i. 422 Sassafras is tabued as fuel among the Cherokee..perhaps for the practical reason that it is apt to pop out of the fire when heated. 1921C. C. Deam Trees of Indiana 165 Floors were made of sassafras to keep out the rats and mice.
2. a. The dried bark of this tree, used medicinally as an alterative; also an infusion of this.
1577Frampton Joyfull Newes ii. 50 Many of them that had Tertians did take Water of the Sassafras. 1605B. Jonson Volpone ii. ii, No Indian drug had ere beene famed, Tabacco, Sassafras not named. 1714Fr. Bk. of Rates 96 Sax-a-fras per 100 Weight, 05 00. 1822Lamb Elia Ser. i. Praise Chimney-Sweepers, A composition, the groundwork of which I have understood to be the sweet wood yclept sassafras. 1837R. Ellis Laws & Regul. Customs III. 405 Sassafras, is the bark of the Lauris Sassafras. 1863Rio Abajo Weekly Press (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 14 Apr. 2/3 Sassafras.—Those who use this drink will find [etc.]. 1871E. Eggleston Hoosier Schoolmaster 88 He drank his glass of water, having declined even her sassafras. 1912M. Nicholson Hoosier Chron. 44 Sassafras in the spring, and a few doses of quinine in the fall,..were all the medicine that any good Hoosier needed.
b. oil of sassafras = sassafras oil (see 3).
1753Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Oil, The oil of sassafras is peculiarly liable to crystallization in certain circumstances. 1838T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 479 Oil of Sassafras is obtained from the root of the laurus sassafras.
3. Comb., as sassafras-bark, sassafras-bush, sassafras-chips, sassafras-pith, sassafras-root, sassafras-tree, sassafras-wood; sassafras laurel = sense 1; sassafras nut (see pichurim); sassafras oil, an oil distilled from the root of the common sassafras, from the bark of the Tasmanian sassafras, or from the sassafras nut; sassafras soap U.S., a soap scented with sassafras; sassafras tea, an infusion of sassafras formerly used in making saloop.
1681Grew Musæum ii. i. i. 180 Being well chewed, it hath the self same Tast with that of *Sassafras-Barque.
1848G. C. Furber Twelve Months Volunteer 54 The field, or the larger part of it, growing up with tall weeds and *sassafras bushes. 1944T. D. Clark Pills, Petticoats & Plows 261 The graveyard is scraped bare of crab grass,..Johnson grass and sassafras bushes to give them a ‘cared-for’ appearance.
1875Ure's Dict. Arts III. 543 [Recipe for ‘Athenian Hair-wash’.] *Sassafras chips.
1878Hoblyn Dict. Med. s.v., S. officinale, or *Sassafras Laurel, grows in North America.
1830Lindley Nat. Syst. Bot. 30 The *Sassafras nuts of the London shops are the fruit of the Laurus Puceri.
1800Misc. Tracts in Asiat. Ann. Reg. 74/1 The sassafras tree, the bark of which yields the costly coelilawang, and all its roots the *sassafras oil.
1861Bentley Man. Bot. 631 *Sassafras pith is used in America as a demulcent like quince seeds.
1607in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 53/2 Our easiest and richest commodity being *sassafras roots, were gathered up by the sailors. 1875T. W. Higginson Hist. U.S. vii. 51 Gosnold went back to England with a cargo of sassafras-root.
1860J. G. Holland Miss Gilbert's Career 108 Arthur took his accustomed seat at the head of the table, with Leonora at his right hand,..[in an] atmosphere of *sassafras-soap. 1863B. Taylor H. Thurston I. 256 An old woman with two sentimental daughters, who..always smelt of sassafras-soap.
1783M. Garthshore in Med. Commun. I. 245 She..drank *sassafras tea. 1817T. Dean in Indiana Hist. Soc. Publ. (1918) VI. 324 We took some bread and sassafras tea. 1960I. Wallach Absence of Cello 41 Perry sipped a cup of sassafras tea.
1597Gerarde Herbal iii. cxxxvi. 1341 The *Sassafras tree. 1864–5Wood Homes without H. xiv. (1868) 3 The insect called Saturnia promethea, which lives on the Sassafras-tree.
1681tr. Belon's Myst. Physick 16 One dram or two of *Sassafrax-wood. 1736Bailey Househ. Dict. 13 Sassafras-wood and China-root, of each ½ oz. |