vbl. sb. [f. WEED v. + -ING1.]
1. The action or process of freeing (land, a crop, etc.) from weeds.
c. 1100. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 105/3. Runcatio, weodung.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 519/2. Weddynge, runcacio.
1468–9. Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 102. For wedyng in the whete, lij s. j d.
1523–34. Fitzherb., Husb., § 21. Arier a shoure of raine it is beste wedynge. Ibid. But as for terre, there wyll noo wedynge serue.
1583. Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham Soc.), 10. John Hewode for the dresing, wyedinge and kypinge of the gardenes … foure and tynty shillynges.
1641. Milton, Animadv., 52. The weeding and worming of every bed both in that, and all other Gardens thereabout.
1707. Mortimer, Husb., 126. The common price of weeding of it [sc. woad] is about eight pence an Acre.
1846. J. Baxter’s Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), I. 381. When draining is properly attended to, there will be little occasion for weeding.
1921. Times Lit. Suppl., 8 Sept., 574/3. The subsequent weeding of the young crop [of teak] until it can hold its own against the rapid growth of weeds and useless trees.
b. The eradication (of weeds); also with out. Also fig.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 68 b. The wedyng out of Heretikes.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. xvi. 28. It was … ridiculous to compare the purging of the world from seditious spirits, with the weeding of noysome hearbs out of a Garden.
1901. Scotsman, 13 March, 9/4. One who … was all for the weeding out of incapacity and the selection of the fittest officers.
c. That which is weeded out.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. i. 96. Hee weedes the corne, and still lets grow the weeding.
2. The action of thinning out plants, trees, etc. Also concr. (pl.) the plants removed in the process.
1543. Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 17 § 5. Persons … which have … Woods or Coppice … shall, at the felling or weeding thereof, leave standing … twelve Trees of Oak.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1734), II. 274. They charged him [Ld. Halifax] for another Grant … to the waste of the Timber…. [He replied] His Grant in the Forest of Dean was only of the Weedings.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 254. At a second weeding, when it appears necessary, another third of the original number may be cut down. Ibid., 255. Ditto number of weedings, taken out before 20 years, and valued at one half-penny each.
1825. Jamieson, Weedins, what is pulled up, or cut out, in thinning trees, &c.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, III. 1098. To erect a pyramid of 3 small trees or weedings of larch or Scots fir.
b. transf. and fig.
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, II. i. The accession of Mr. Canning to the cabinet … soon led to a further weeding of the Mediocrities.
1853. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour, lx. 342. It seemed agreed on all hands that their party rather wanted weeding than increasing.
1870. Daily News, 11 Nov. The feeling … is so strong, that a great weeding of the judicial bench is probable if the Republic lasts.
1884. Athenæum, 20 Dec., 800/3. Its value would have been greater if the two volumes had been reduced to one by the judicious weeding of the articles dealing with the controversy with Mill.
3. attrib. and Comb., as weeding season, time; in the names of many tools used in removing weeds, as weeding chisel, † dog, forceps, fork, † iron, † knife (lit. and fig.), pincers, shears, † tongs (lit. and fig.), tool, also WEEDING-HOOK; weeding dues slang (see quot. and WEED v. 4 e); weeding shim dial. (see quot.); weeding-woman (cf. weeder woman, WEEDER 4).
1819. Rees, Cycl., *Weeding-chisel, an useful tool with a divided chisel point, for cutting the roots of large weeds within the ground.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 392/2. In the Base is … a Gardiners *Weeding Dog. It is made with a Taper Fork, and a Cross bar of Iron, some six or eight Inches above, [etc.].
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v., Speaking of any person, place, or property, that has been weeded, it is said *weeding dues have been concerned.
1819. Rees, Cycl., *Weeding Forceps, or Tongs, the tool of the nipper kind which is made use of for taking up some sorts of plants in weeding corn and other crops.
1611. Cotgr., Serfoēt, a weeding hooke, or *weeding forke.
1828–32. Webster, *Weeding-Fork, a strong three-pronged fork, used in cleaning ground of weeds.
1921. Blackw. Mag., June, 769/2. I was summoned into the house … and leaving my weeding-fork and basket, was absent … perhaps an hour.
1562. *Weding yron [see WEED v.1 2].
1683. J. Reid, Scots Gard. (1907), 149. Pull up the roots cleanly, taking the help of the weeding-iron where needful.
1728. Swift, Pastoral Dial., xi. Misc. 1732, III. II. 38. Him on my Lap you never more should see; Or may I lose my *Weeding-knife—and Thee.
1751. Earl Orrery, Remarks Swift (1752), 183. The scythe of time, or the weeding-knife of a judicious editor, will cut down the docks and thistles.
1843. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 381. When large weeds only are to be pulled out of shrubberies, this may sometimes be done with *weeding pincers.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 385. The latter end of the *weeding season.
1906. Alice Werner, Natives Brit. Central Africa, vi. 137. In the planting and weeding seasons, people set out for the gardens before daylight.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xx. (Roxb.), 246/1. He beareth Gules, a paire of Weeding Tonges Or, else a paire of *Weeding Sheares, erected and open.
1850. Ogilvie, *Weeding-shears, shears used for cutting weeds.
1819. Rees, Cycl., *Weeding-Shim, an implement … made with a frame somewhat like that of the common wheelbarrow…. It is a very useful and convenient tool for the purpose of tearing up weeds.
1523–34. Fitzherb., Husb., § 16. The whiche shal be great hurte to the corne, whan it shall be sowen, and specially in the *weding-tyme of the same.
1733. W. Ellis, Chiltern & Vale Farm., 298. I was obliged several Years after, to cut them up in Weeding-time.
a. 1555. Bradford, in Coverdale, Lett. Martyrs (1564), 462. Yf god … perchaunce beginne … to poure hys showers vpon you: to nippe you with his *weeding tonges, &c.
1688. [see weeding shears].
1850. Ogilvie, *Weeding tool, an implement for pulling up. digging up, or cutting weeds.
1710. Addison, Tatler, No. 221. He gave me positive Orders to turn off an old *Weeding-Woman.
1908. [Miss E. Fowler], Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 40. Two old weeding-women, cheek by cheek, taking up daisies.
