† wortlingn.
Obsolete.
A young vine plant.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular fruit-tree or -plant > [noun] > tree or plant producing edible berries > grape-vine > young
wortling1691
vinelet1881
1691 W. Yworth New Art of making Wines 9 But if thou wilt repair an old Vine, these [roots] are taken out, and are now call'd Wortlings.
?1701 T. Tryon Way to get Wealth 7 The Wortlings, after they have their Roots well together, are the better able to endure bleak Winds and Frosts.
?1760 W. Graham Art Making Wines (ed. 2) 3 They are then called Wortlings, because they are gotten about the over-grown vines, or heads.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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n.1691