Obs. Forms: 1 wæstum, -em, -im, wæstm, westom, westm, weastm, 3 Orm. wasstme, vestme, westum. [OE. wæstm masc. = OS. wastum:—OTeut. type *waχstmo-z, f. root of WAX v.]
1. Fruit, crop, produce; abundance of produce.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. 13. Be þæs cyninges ʓebode brengð eorðe ælcne westm.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. vii. 17. Ælc god treow byrþ gode wæstmas.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 109. Iliche þan treo þe bereð lef and blosman, and nane westmas ne bereð.
c. 1200. Ormin, 9284. Illc an treo þatt … Ne bereþþ nohht god wasstme Shall … beon hæwenn upp.
c. 1205. Lay., 32108. Þenne scullen i Bruttene blissen wurðen riue, wastmes and wederes sele after heore i-wille.
b. transf. Fruit (of the body, womb), offspring.
971. Blickl. Hom., 5. Forþon se wæstm þines innoþes is ʓebletsad.
c. 1200. Ormin, 1937. Þær brohhte ȝho þatt wasstme forþ Of all unnwemmedd wambe.
c. fig.
971. Blickl. Hom., 249. Andreas, for hwan gæst þu swa buton wæstme þines ʓewinnes.
c. 1200. Ormin, 15911. & nesshenn itt [thy heart] & godenn, Swa þatt itt bere þess te bett God wasstme i gode dedess.
2. Growth of body, stature, form. Also (nonce-use), greatness.
Beowulf, 1352 (Gr.). Oðer earmsceapen on weres wæstmum wræclastas træd.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xix. 3. Zacheus … wæs lytel on wæstmum.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 19. Þe fader is on þe sune on þrie wise. Þat on is on westme, for þat he is muchel and mihti ouer alle þing. Ibid., 127. Alse wat se he was þoȝen on wintre and on wastme … þo nam he ȝeme of mannes liflode.
c. 1205. Lay., 15698. Þa iwarð ich on vestme wunder ane fæir.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 69. A meiden … feier & freolich o wlite & o westum.
Hence † Wastumless a., without fruit.
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xiii. 22. Sine fructu westemleas.
c. 1200. Ormin, 13858. All iss itt [the heart] uss bifrorenn swa Þurrh hete & niþ & irre, Þatt all itt liþ uss wassemelæs Off alle gode dedess.
