Sc. and Anglo-Irish. Also weid. [The first syllable of weeden- WEDENONFA’, wrongly analysed as weed an’ onfa’ (see quot. c. 1830).] A sudden febrile attack; esp. a kind of puerperal fever.
1790. A. Duncan, Med. Comm., Dec. II. V. 300. It may be difficult, therefore, in the beginning, to distinguish puerperal fever from accumulations of fæces in the alimentary canal, especially if joined to an Ephemera, or Weed.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xii. Dinna ye hear the bairn greet? I’se warrant it’s that dreary weid has come ower’t again.
1819. Edin. Mag., March, 220. There to appearance she still lay, very sick of a lever, incident to women in her situation, and here termed a weed.
1830. Carleton, Traits Irish Peas. (1843), I. 308. Besides, I’m a bit bothered on both sides of my head, ever since I had that weary weid.
c. 1830. in Proc. Berwick. Nat. Club (1916), 86. Ephemeral colds, vulgarly called weeds and onfas.
1902. Brit. Med. Jrnl., 19 July, 209. A touch of the ‘weed’ (or weid), which means a sudden febrile attack.
b. A feverish disease in cattle.
1811. J. Trotter, Agr. Surv. W. Lothian, 168. Milch cows, however, are not unfrequently subject to what is here called a weed, which is a kind of feverish affection.
1851. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XII. II. 523. Irritation and inflammation of the absorbent vessels and glands … constituting the disease termed weed [in horses].
