| 释义 |
ˈcoven-tree, covin-tree Sc.
[In sense 1, app. from coven; but 2 is of uncertain origin.]
1. trans. ‘A large tree in front of old Scottish mansion-houses, where the laird met his visitors’ (Jamieson), or where he assembled his retainers.
1823Scott Quentin D. iii, I love not the Castle when the covin-tree bears such acorns as I see yonder. 1844W. H. Maxwell Sports & Adv. Scot. (1855) 333 At all old Scottish mansion-houses, there was a tree at some distance from the door, called the coglin tree, (variously the covan tree,) where the landlord met his guests. 1882Blackw. Mag. Sept. 367 The Border reivers were being hung to their own covin trees by rough and ready Jedburgh Justice.
2. A local name of the shrub Viburnum Lantana, called also wayfaring (man's) tree: recorded by Britten and Holland from Bucks and Wilts.
a1697Aubrey (Brit. & Holl.), Coven-tree common about Chalke and Cranbourn Chase; the carters doe make their whippes of it. |