amolen.
The root or bulb of any one of several plants found in Mexico and California, used as a detergent; also any of such plants, esp. Chlorogalum pomeridianum, called also soap-plant (see soap-plant n. at soap n.1 Compounds 2c(b)). Also attrib.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > plants yielding soap > [noun] > soap-plant
amole1831
soap-plant1847
soap-bulb1874
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > other cleaning methods, devices, or substances > [noun] > substances
ox-gall?c1450
Spanish white1546
pipeclay1732
bottle-cleaner1788
ox bile1815
amole1831
benzol1838
benzine-collas1864
benzene1872
benzoline1874
varnish-remover1965
1831 F. W. Beechey Narr. Voy. to Pacific II. 43 A very useful root called in that country [California] amoles.
1845 J. C. Frémont Rep. Explor. Rocky Mts. (1846) 269 Great quantities of ammole (soap plant), the leaves of which are used in California for making..mats for saddle-cloths.
1884 Encycl. Brit. XVII. 401/2 Yucca filamentosa, commonly called amole or soap-weed.
1886 Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. VIII. 518 Lechuguilla is the most important of the soap or ‘amole’ plants of Southwestern Texas and Northern Mexico.
1927 Chambers's Jrnl. 227/1 Soap grows for him..in the bulbs of the curious Amole.
1928 D. H. Lawrence Woman who rode Away 96 They..washed her all over with water and the amole infusion.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online November 2010).
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