spurge

spurge
noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French espurge, spurge, from espurger to clean out, purge, from Latin expurgare — more at expurgate Date: 14th century any of a family (Euphorbiaceae) of widely distributed herbs, shrubs, and trees often with a bitter milky juice; especially euphorbia

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Spurge — Spurge, n. [OF. espurge, F. [ e]purge, from OF. espurgier to purge, L. expurgare. See {Expurgate}, {Purge}.] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Euphorbia. See {Euphorbia}. [1913 Webster] {Spurge flax}, an evergreen shrub ({Daphne Gnidium}) with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spurge — spərj n any of various mostly shrubby plants (family Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, and esp. genus Euphorbia) that have a bitter milky juice and that include several which have been used medicinally see IPECAC SPURGE …   Medical dictionary

  • Spurge — (sp[^u]rj), v. t. [Etymol. uncertain.] To emit foam; to froth; said of the emission of yeast from beer in course of fermentation. [Obs.] W. Cartright. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spurge — [spʉrj] n. [ME < MFr espurge < espurger, to purge < L expurgare: see EXPURGATE] any of a genus (Euphorbia) of plants of the spurge family, with milky juice and minute, simplified flowers borne in cuplike inflorescences adj. designating a …   English World dictionary

  • spurge — plant species, late 14c., from O.Fr. espurge, from espurgier to purge, from L. expurgare, from ex out + purgare to purge (see PURGE (Cf. purge)). So called from the plant s purgative properties …   Etymology dictionary

  • spurge — ► NOUN ▪ a plant or shrub with milky latex and small greenish flowers. ORIGIN Old French espurge, from Latin expurgare cleanse (because of the purgative properties of the milky latex) …   English terms dictionary

  • spurge — /sperrj/, n. any of numerous plants of the genus Euphorbia, having a milky juice and flowers with no petals or sepals. Cf. spurge family. [1350 1400; ME < MF espurge, n. deriv. of espurgier to cleanse < L expurgare. See EX 1, PURGE] * * * One of… …   Universalium

  • Spurge — This unusual and interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and is a topographical surname denoting residence by a place where the species of plant called spurge grew in abundance. The name derives from the Middle English word spurge …   Surnames reference

  • spurge — karpažolė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Karpažolinių (Euphorbiaceae) šeimos augalų gentis (Euphorbia). atitikmenys: lot. Euphorbia angl. spurge vok. Wolfsmilch rus. молочай lenk. wilczomlecz …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • spurge — n. any plant of the genus Euphorbia, exuding an acrid milky juice once used medicinally as a purgative. Phrases and idioms: spurge laurel any shrub of the genus Daphne, esp. D. laureola, with small yellow flowers. Etymology: ME f. OF espurge f.… …   Useful english dictionary

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