pilewortn.
/ˈpʌɪlwəːt/, U.S. /ˈpaɪlˌwərt/, /ˈpaɪlˌwɔrt/ 1. The lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria, formerly regarded as a remedy for haemorrhoids (now chiefly historical). Also: †any plant of the former genus Ficaria (at one time regarded as separate from Ranunculus) (obsolete).
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Ranunculaceae (crowfoot and allies) > [noun] > crowfoot
clovetonguec1325
pilewort?a1425
crowfootc1440
ranunculus1543
rape crowfoot1578
urchin crowfoot1578
water milfoil1578
lodewort1597
reate1655
hunger-weed1792
devil's claw1996
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 > allied flowers
githa1382
nigellaa1398
gollana1400
pilewort?a1425
gold-knop1538
fig-wort1548
lucken gowan1548
melanthion1559
gold crap1571
bachelor's buttons1578
celandine1578
gold cup1578
Goldilocks1578
nigel1578
nigelweed1578
troll flower1578
peppergrass1587
golden cup1589
globe crowfoot1597
globeflower1597
winter aconite1597
kiss-me-twice-before-I-rise1664
devil-in-a-bush1722
globe ranunculus1731
turban1760
love-in-a-mist1787
love-in-a-puzzle1824
fair-grass1825
water buttercup1831
golden knobs1835
ficary1848
New Year's gift1856
bishop wort1863
fennel-flower1863
golden ball1875
?a1425 MS Hunterian 95 f. 158v (MED) For þe piliis..ȝiffe him to drinke þe rote of pyle wort & ete þe rote of pyle wort.
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. xx. 31 The lesser [Celandine] is called..in English Pyle worte, or Figworte.
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 669 In English little Celandine, Figgewoort, and Pile woort.
a1678 T. Hanmer Garden Bk. (1933) 73 (heading) Of Double Pilewort.
1736 Compl. Family-piece ii. iii. 288 Violets, Dazies, Double Pilewort.
1779 Farmer's Mag. Nov. 344 Pilewort, or Lesser Celandine. April.
1836 J. C. Loudon Encycl. Plants (rev. ed.) 484 Ficaria Pers. Pilewort.
1850 J. Clare Let. 3 Apr. (1985) 671 All about the footpath the d[a]iseys silver stars & pileworts golden studs whose burnish nothing mars.
1939 E. D. Laborde tr. E. de Martonne Shorter Physical Geogr. (rev. ed.) xxi. 334 Collect a series of plants peculiar to the meadows, e.g., buttercup, pilewort, cardamine, iris, etc.
1996 R. Mabey Flora Britannica 48/2 Another obsolete name is pilewort—the herb given for haemorrhoids. This ancient prescription is based on the Doctrine of Signatures.., and on a fancied resemblance between the knobbly tubers and piles.
2. Any of several other plants formerly regarded as remedies for haemorrhoids; esp. a figwort (genus Scrophularia). Usually with distinguishing word. Now U.S.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Scrophulariaceae (figwort and allies) > [noun] > figwort and allies
brownwortc1000
scrophularyc1400
water betonyc1400
bishop-leaves1597
fig-wort1597
kernel-wort1597
pilewort1640
scrophularia1663
water figwort1670
rose noble1808
snake's head1834
salpiglossid1846
salt-rheum weed1846
Cornish money-wort1848
turtle-head1857
scrophulariad1866
fiddlewood1878–86
stinking Christopher1878
stinkwort1890
1640 J. Parkinson Theatrum Botanicum 612 Scrophularia major..we in English [call it] great Figgewort, and great Pilewort.
1640 J. Parkinson Theatrum Botanicum xvii. lxi. 1616 Guacatane, Indian Pilewort.
1728 R. Bradley Dict. Botanicum Great Pilewort, is Figwort, in Latin, Schrophularia major... Small Pilewort, in Latin, Scrophularia minor... Indian Pilewort, in Latin, Gnacatane [sic].
1914 A. E. Georgia Man. Weeds 380 Pilewort, Heal-all... The knotted roots of this plant have long been reputed a cure for scrofula, piles, and other diseases.
1971 A. Krochmal et al. Guide Medicinal Plants Appalachia 230 Scrophularia marilandica... Common Names: Maryland figwort,..great pilewort,..pilewort [etc.].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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