Blossom

Forms: 1 blostm, blostma, 1–2 blosma, 2–4 blostme, 2–5 blosme, 3 blossem, Orm. blosstme, 4–5 blossum, 4–8 blossome, (5 blosle), 6 bloosme, blossum(m, 7 blosom, 4– blossom. [OE. blóstm str. masc., blóstma, blósma wk. masc., cognate w. MDu. and Du. bloesem, MLG. blosem, blossem; cf. also ON. blómst-r masc. Generally referred to the same root as BLOOM (blō-); some consider blos- an extended stem = L. flos, flor-; others with greater probability take the -st as well as -m a suffix.]

  1.  ‘The flower that grows on any plant, previous to the seed or fruit. We generally call those flowers blossoms, which are not much regarded in themselves, but as a token of some following production.’ (J.)

  Blostma, blosme was the OE. word for ‘flower,’ previous to the adoption of ON. blóm (BLOOM), and OF. flor, flur (FLOWER). See BLOOM sb.¹

  a.  An individual flower (with plural).

971.  Blickl. Hom., 7. Mid eallum missenlicum afeddum blostmum sy se Cristes brydbur ʓefrætwod.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., I. 236. Genim þysse ylcan wyrte blostman.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 109. Iliche þan treo þe bereð lef and blosman . and nane westmas ne bereð.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 276. Breres bereð, rosen, & berien, & blostmen.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 143. The braunches ful of blosmes softe.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., II. iii. 64. Thou prun’st a rotten tree, That cannot so much as a blossome yeelde.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 148. Blossoms and Fruits at once of golden hue Appeerd.

1756.  Burke, Subl. & B., Wks. I. 209. An orange-tree, flourishing at once with its leaves, its blossoms, and its fruit.

1822.  Byron, Heav. & Earth, I. iii. 730. Yet quivers every leaf, and drops each blossom.

  b.  collectively. The mass of flowers on a fruit-tree, etc. (Cf. BLOOM sb.¹ 1 c.) Hence in blossom.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8256. Was neuer tre suilk blossem bare.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 6 (Roxb.). Hyr rode was rede as blossom on brere.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 41. Blosme, or blossum, frons.

1789.  Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, I. 120. One plum tree have I seen in blossom.

1878.  B. Taylor, Deukalion, III. i. 107. I go with the flying blossom, as I came with the flying seed.

  c.  fig. (by simile.)

1789–94.  Blake, Songs Exp., Lit. Girl Lost, 34. O the dismal care That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair.

1842.  Tennyson, Œnone, 76. He prest the blossom of his lips to mine.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. § 18. 130. Nature … showered down upon us those lovely blossoms of the frost [snow-crystals].

  2.  fig. a. An attribute, product, or token, compared in its character to the preceding.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 11. Meidenhad is te blosme þat beo ha eanes fulliche forcoruen ne spruteð ha neauer eft.

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., VI. Introd. iv. Amongst them all growes not a fairer flowre Then is the bloosme of comely courtesie.

1692.  Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 259. Which takes away all the Blossom of the good they do us.

1775.  Sheridan, Duenna, I. iii. 192. The rich blossoms of my daughter’s beauty.

1843.  Prescott, Mexico, II. i. (1864), 67. The first blossoms of that literature which was to ripen into so rich a harvest.

  b.  One lovely and full of promise.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxxvi. 138. Allas! þat þis blossome so bright Vntrewly is tugged to þis tree.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., IV. ii. 72. Sweet blowse, you are a beautious blossome sure. Ibid. (1591), 1 Hen. VI., IV. vii. 16. There di’de My Icarus, my Blossome, in his pride.

1847.  Tennyson, Princess, V. 79. My babe, my blossom, ah, my child.

  c.  A stage of development which answers to that of blossom. Cf. flower, bloom.

c. 1225.  Ancr. R., 192. Ine blostme of ower ȝuweðe.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., I. v. 76. Thus was I … Cut off euen in the Blossomes of my Sinne.

a. 1656.  Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 8. Mine hopes nipt in the blossome.

1662.  J. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867). In the blossom of his popedom, he did one of the worthiest actions of his life.

  3.  techn. a. Mining. ‘The oxidized or decomposed outcrop of a vein or coal-bed, more frequently the latter.’ (Raymond, Mining Gloss.) b. The color of a horse whose hairs are white interspersed with sorrel or bay, peach-color; a horse so colored.

  4.  Comb. and Attrib., as blossom-ball, -bough, -time; blossom-bearing, -bordered, -bruising, -laden adjs.; blossom-faced a., having a red bloated face; so blossom-nosed; blossom-headed a., (of a parrot) having a rose-colored head.

1864.  Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 87. He … Had … to pleasure Edith … Made *blossom-ball or daisy-chain. Ibid. (1847), Princess, V. 353. Above the garden’s glowing *blossom-belts.

1839.  Bailey, Festus, xix. (1848), 197. *Blossom-bordered, silvery paths.

a. 1845.  Hood, Depart. Summ. Under the hawthorn’s *blossom-bough.

1784.  Cowper, Task, V. 141. *Blossom-bruising hail.

1859.  Tennyson, Vivien, 131. Foot-gilt with all the *blossom-dust of those Deep meadows.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., IV. ix. Half a dozen *blossom-faced men.

1867.  Jean Ingelow, Dreams came true, l.

1713.  Lond. & Country Brewer, III. (1743), 166. *Blossom-time is accounted dangerous for brewing.

1860.  J. Kennedy, Horse Shoe R., vii. 89. Up to the *blossom-time of life.