maythen.

Brit.

/meɪð/, U.S.

/meɪð/

Forms:

α. Old English mægeðe, Old English mægþa, Old English mægþe, Old English mægðe, Old English magaðe, Old English mageþa, Old English mageþe, Old English magoþe, Old English magoðe, Old English magþa, Old English megeþe, Old English–Middle English mageðe, late Old English magethe, late Old English megethe, early Middle English mæȝeðe, early Middle English maiwe (probably transmission error), early Middle English meiðe, Middle English maiche, Middle English maþe, Middle English mathge, Middle English maue, Middle English mauȝt, Middle English maut, Middle English mauth, Middle English mauthe, Middle English mawe, Middle English mawere (probably transmission error), Middle English mawȝt, Middle English mawt, Middle English mawþe, Middle English mayche, Middle English mayde, Middle English mayȝe, Middle English mayht, Middle English mayre (probably transmission error), Middle English mayte, Middle English mayþe, Middle English methe, Middle English meythe, Middle English 1800s mawth, Middle English–1500s mathe, Middle English–1600s mayth, Middle English–1600s 1900s– maythe, Middle English–1800s maithe.

β. Middle English maþen, Middle English mathegyn, Middle English matheyn, Middle English matyn, Middle English mauthen, Middle English mawþene, Middle English mayeten, Middle English meithen, Middle English 1700s– maithen, Middle English 1700s– mathen, Middle English– mawthen, Middle English– maythen, 1800s– mathan, 1800s– mavin, 1800s– meaden, 1900s– mathon, 1900s– mauven.

γ. Middle English maides, Middle English maies, Middle English maþes, Middle English mathys, Middle English maydes, Middle English mayethes, Middle English maythez, Middle English maythys, Middle English meythis, Middle English–1500s 1800s mathes, Middle English–1500s 1900s– maythes, Middle English–1800s maithes, 1800s– maise, 1800s– mays, 1800s– mayse, 1800s– maze.

δ. late Middle English maþern, late Middle English maþerne, 1600s– mathern, 1800s– maathern, 1800s– mauthern, 1800s– maythern, 1800s– moithern.

ε. 1500s–1600s 1800s– mathers, 1800s– madders.

ζ. 1800s– maither, 1800s– mather, 1800s– mauther, 1800s– mawther.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: < the same Germanic base as Old English mægeð , mægð maiden, girl (see maiden n.); compare Middle Low German mēgedeblōme , Middle High German meideblume , maidblume (German Mägdeblume , Magdblume ) all in sense ‘camomile’, and see discussion below. For compounds see maidenweed n., maidweed n., mayweed n.Camomile has long held an important place in folk medicine; its reputation derives from its manifold properties (anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, carminative, antispasmodic, sedative), which have been known since ancient times. Its widespread traditional use for aiding menstruation and relieving period pains explains the origin of its name in Germanic languages. Its importance in Old English times is evident from its appearance as one of the nine esteemed herbs in the Nine Herbs Charm (see quot. OE¹ at sense 1α. ). The variation between Old English forms in a (e.g. magþe , inflected magþan ) and æ (e.g. mægþe , inflected mægþan ) has led to parallel series of Middle English and later forms (e.g. mawth , mauthern and maythe , maythern respectively). Both series have forms as follows: α simplex forms; β. forms showing generalization of -n ( < the Old English inflectional ending -an ) to all forms; γ. forms showing substitution of the Old English and Middle English plural ending -n with -s , subsequently reanalysed as a singular, and occasionally found with a morphological double plural -ses or (with reversion to the -n plural) -sen (compare quots. 1886 at sense 1γ. and a1903 at sense 1γ. ); δ, ε, and ζ forms with -r- probably after madder n.: δ. forms with -ern by analogy with the β. forms; ε. forms with -ers by analogy with the γ. forms; ζ. forms with -er (perhaps shortened from δ or ε forms). The word is attested early as a place-name element in several Old English charters, and survives in Maidford (Wiltshire), Mayfield (Sussex), Maytham (Kent), etc.

Now chiefly English regional (southern and midlands).

1. Any of various white-rayed species of camomile (genus Anthemis and perhaps allied genera), chiefly weeds of cultivated ground; esp. (also more fully stinking maythe) stinking camomile, Anthemis cotula. Also: any of several other white-rayed plants of the family Asteraceae ( Compositae); esp. ox-eye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare (also †white maythe).

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > plants perceived as weeds or harmful plants > weed > [noun] > stinking camomile

maytheeOE

maidenweeda1325

hound-fennela1400

dog fennel?a1425

maidweed1440

mayweed1543

marg1609

Balder brae1847

hog's fennel1931

stinking camomile-

α.

eOE Bald's Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) i. xxxiv. 80 Wiþ wearhbrædan, magoþan croppan wyl on buteran & sealt.

eOE Bald's Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) ii. xxii. 206 Wermod & wildre magþan wyrttruman.

OE Metrical Charm: Nine Herbs (Harl. 585) 23 Gemyne þu, mægðe, hwæt þu ameldodest..æt Alorforda; þæt næfre for gefloge feorh ne gesealde syþðan him mon mægðan to mete gegyrede.

OE Brussels Gloss. in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 296 Beneolentem, magaðe, uel camemellon.

OE Brussels Gloss. in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 297 Bucstalmum [read Buoftalmum], hwit mægeðe.

OE Brussels Gloss. in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 300 Obtalmon, mageðe.

OE Antwerp Gloss. (1955) 110 Herba putida, mægþa.

OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) xxiv. 70 Ðas wyrte þe man camemelon & oðrum naman mageþe nemneð.

c1225 Worcester Glosses to Old Eng. Herbarium in Anglia (1928) 52 20 [Mageðe, camemelon] Meiðe.

a1300 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 557/2 (MED) Camomilla, i. camemille, i. maiwe.

a1400 Alphita (Selden) (1887) 45 Consolida media,..whit-bothel uel seynt Mary maythe.

?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh.) (1950) 129 Amarusca is an herbe þat men clepe Mawth or doggis fenkel or maydewode.

c1450 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 563/23 Amarusa, a mathge.

a1500 MS Sloane 5 f. 4^v Amarusca calid...G. Ameroche. A. maithe.

1597 J. Gerard Herball Table Eng. Names Stinking Mayth, that is Maie weed.

1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husbandry i. Table of Hard Words Maythe, is a weede that growes amongst corne, and is called of some Hogs-Fennell.

1954 ‘Bryher’ Fourteenth of Oct. iii. 39 He would use Latin words for our many little worts and even called the fragrant maythe camomile!

β. 1276 in P. D. A. Harvey Manorial Rec. Cuxham (1976) 119 In cerculacione et tractare meithen viij s.a1300 in Bull. Mod. Humanities Res. Assoc. (1929) 3 136 La rascine de amerusche, coe est, mayeten en engleis.a1325 Gloss. W. de Bibbesworth (Cambr.) (1929) 666 Si vous trouvez au verger Ameroke [glossed] meythe [Koch maþen].1526 Grete Herball cxxxvii. sig. Hvi/2 Consolida media. Maythen.1597 J. Gerard Herball App. Mawthen is Cotula fœtida.1787 W. Withering Bot. Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 2) II. 939 Anthemis cotula... Stinking May-weed. [Mathen].1845 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 5 ii. 431 The mathen and crow-needles grow more thickly.1883 W. H. Cope Gloss. Hampshire Words Mathan, Anthemis Cotula.1886 W. Barnes Gloss. Dorset Dial. 81 Meaden, same as madders [sc. the stinking chamomile].1937 A. H. Wolley-Dod Flora Sussex 236 Stinking May-weed. ‘Morgan’. ‘Mavin’.1974 W. Leeds Herefordshire Speech 75 Mathon, wild camomile.γ. c1300 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 19 [Amarusca] anglice hundefenil vel meythis.a1400 J. Mirfield Sinonoma Bartholomei (1882) 16 (MED) Cocula fetida, maythes. Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 319/2 Mayde wede, herbe, or maythys, melissa, amarusca.?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xiii Dogfenell and mathes is both one.1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball ii. xxx. 186 I haue Englished it Unsauerie Camomill, foolish Mathes, and white Cotula without sauour.1670 J. Ray Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ 84 Cotula fœtida... Stinking Mayweed or Maithes.1864 All Year Round 30 Jan. 535/1 Maithes or maghet (Pyrethrum parthenium).1879 G. F. Jackson Shropshire Word-bk. 266 Maise, stinking Chamomile.1886 R. E. G. Cole Gloss. Words S.-W. Lincs. 89 They're them nasty mayses.a1903 C. Wordsworth in Eng. Dial. Dict. (1903) IV. 14/1 [Dorset] The corn was full of mazen.1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw: Lincs. Dial. Dict. 184/1 Maise, Mayse, (1) ox-eye daisy..; (2) stinking chamomile.δ. ?a1500 in G. Henslow Med. Wks. 14th Cent. (1899) 20 A plastur for þe festur..weybrede and wild tansi..white maþerne and ache and auenee [read auence].1677 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Oxford-shire ix. 241 This [land] never requires a double stirring, nor must be made too fine and light, for then it runs to May-weed, or Mathern, as they call it.1811 T. Davis Gen. View Agric. Wilts. (new ed.) 267 Maudlin, or Mathern, or Wild Chamomile.—These weeds usually prevail when the ground is over-worked and made too light.1842 J. Y. Akerman Gloss. Provinc. Words Wilts. Mauthern, the ox-eyed daisy.1879 G. F. Jackson Shropshire Word-bk. Maythern... Moithern.1880 R. Jefferies Round about Great Estate 155 Last year there had been nearly as much mathern (wild camomile)..as crop.ε. 1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball ii. xxx. 185 Cotula fœtida. Mathers or stinking Camomill.1609 C. Butler Feminine Monarchie vi. sig. H2 The most stinking and poysonful weeds, as redweed, marges [margin Mathers or May-weed Cotula fœtida], henbane, & the like.1886 W. Barnes Gloss. Dorset Dial. 81 Meaden, same as madders [sc. the stinking chamomile].ζ. 1839 G. C. Lewis Gloss. Words Herefordshire 63 Mather, (the first syllable pronounced like scathe)... The great ox-eyed daisy, a common weed in tillage-land.1888 F. A. Lees Flora W. Yorks. 287 Maither or Mather. Stinking Chamomile.a1903 E. Smith MS Coll. Warwicks. Words in Eng. Dial. Dict. (1903) IV. 53/1 Mather.

a. red maythe n. the plant pheasant's eye, Adonis annua (cf. red maidweed n. at maidweed n. 2). Now rare. Adonis annua is an introduced species, but the date of its introduction is unknown; it is possible that in the pre-16th cent. examples some other plant is meant, perhaps yellow camomile, Anthemis tinctoria.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > buttercup and allied flowers > delphinium or larkspur

red maytheeOE

brown maythec1450

lark's foota1500

red maidweed1548

consound1578

lark's claw1578

larkspur1578

ox-eye1578

red camomile1578

Adonis1597

lark-heel1597

lark's toes1597

monkshood1597

rose-a-ruby1597

delphinium1666

pheasant's eye1727

red Morocco1760

rocket larkspur1778

blue rocket larkspur1784

bee-larkspur1846

eOE Bald's Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) i. lxiv. 140 Sealf, elehtre hegerife, bisceopwyrt, þa readan magoþan, armelu, cropleac, sealt wyl on buteran to sealfe.

eOE Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) iii. liv. 342 Wyrc sealfe wið nihtgengan, wyl on buteran elehtran, hegerifan, bisceop wyrt, reade magþan, cropleac, sealt.

1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. B.i They call it in Englishe red mathes, alij, red mayde wed, alij, purple camomyle.

1551 W. Turner New Herball sig. D ij Dyuers thynke, that heranthemon is the herbe: whych is called of the herbaryes, amarisca rubra: and of oure countre men, red mathe, or red made wede.

1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 310 Adonis flower is called in Latine Flos Adonis... In English we may call it red Maythes.

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Camomille Red Camomill, red Maithe,..Adonis red flower.

1713 J. Petiver Catal. Ray's Eng. Herbal Red Maithes.

?1768–9 Encycl. Brit. (1771) I. 27/2 The English names [of the genus Adonis] are, adonis-flower, pheasant's eye, red maithes, or red morocco.

1779 Farmer's Mag. Nov. 341 Red Maithes, Red Morocco. Frequent in the corn-fields of Kent.

1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. 711/1 Maithes, Red. Adonis autumnalis.

1958 G. Grigson Englishman's Flora (1975) 51 Gerard..was wise enough to get seeds from the West of England and grow Red Maythes or Red Chamomile or Rose-a-ruby in his garden.

†b. brown maythe n. (probably) = red maythe n. at sense 2a. Obsolete. rare.

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