dial. Also 8 yesse, 9 yis, yesh. [Variant of EASSE, prob. the same word as EES, OE. ǽs food, bait.] The earthworm.
1787. Grose, Prov. Gloss., Yesse, an earth-worm, particularly those called dew-worms. W.
c. 1820. Quekett’s Sayings (1888), 33. Yeshes … are large worms which they make use of as baits … to catch eels.
1825. Jennings, Obs. Dial. W. Eng., Yes.
1863. Barnes, Dorset Gloss., Yis.
