spurge

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English

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spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata)
wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides)

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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    Inherited from Middle English spurge, from Old French espurge, from espurgier (to purge), from Latin expurgo (I purge); the bitter milky sap of these plants was formerly used as a purgative.

    Noun

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    spurge (usually uncountable, plural spurges)

    1. Any plant of the genus Euphorbia, a diverse genus of over 2,000 species.
    2. Any plant of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.
      Synonym: euphorbia
    3. A plant resembling those in genus Euphorbia in some aspect of its appearance.
    Hypernyms
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    Hyponyms
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    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    References

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    Etymology 2

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    Uncertain, but likely closely related to etymology 1, thus a doublet of purge.

    Verb

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    spurge (third-person singular simple present spurges, present participle spurging, simple past and past participle spurged)

    1. (intransitive) To emit foam; to froth; said of the emission of yeast from beer during fermentation.
      • 1661, W. Cartwright, Siedge:
        The body's somthing noysome: 'tis a stale one; / Good troth it spurgeth very monstrously.
    Translations
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    Anagrams

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    Middle English

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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      Borrowed from Old French espurge, from espurgier, from Latin expurgo. Compare purgen.

      Pronunciation

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      Noun

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      spurge (uncountable)

      1. spurge

      Descendants

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      • English: spurge

      References

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