Forms: 7 boulimie, 7–8 boulimy, (8 boulomee, 9 bullimy), 7– bulimy. See also etymology. [ad. Gr. βουλῑμία, f. βου- intensive prefix (properly combining form of βοῦς ox) + λῑμός hunger; sometimes adopted as boulimia. The synonymous Gr. βουλῑμός was adopted in med.L. in the incorrect form bolismus, whence OF. bolisme, both used by Trevisa; and in 17th c. appears as boulime and as boulimos. The mod.Lat. form bulimia is now generally used in medical works, though bulimus also occurs.]
1. Med. ‘A morbid hunger, chiefly occurring in idiots and maniacs … the so-called canine hunger’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.).
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. xlv. (1495), 258. Bolismus is inmoderate and vnmesurable as it were an houndes appetyte. Ibid., XVIII. xxvii. 786. Houndes haue contynuall Bolisme, that is inmoderat appetyte.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas (1608), 210. One while the boulime, then the anorexie … rage with monstrous ryot.
1651. Fuller, Abel Rediv. (1867), I. 222. He fell into a most devouring and unsatiable bulimy.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 365. The boulimos and dog like appetite.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 301. A strange Boulimy … seized one Brian Careswell … who would knaw and eat both Linnen and Woollen.
1720. W. Gibson, Dispens., VI. III. (1734), 155. Continuing too long in them … may cause a Bulimy or Dog-appetite.
1751. R. Brooke, Gen. Practice Physic (ed. 3), II. 193. A Bulimus is a Disease … wherein the Patient is affected with an insatiable and perpetual Desire of Eating.
1780. Beckford, Biog. Mem. Painters, 19. Hemmeline, who had long been troubled with a boulomee, or voracious appetite.
1880. Beale, Slight Ailm., 74. Boulimia … may be due to a very irritable state of the nerves of the stomach.
2. fig.
1654. Fuller, Comm. Ruth (1868), 135. The boulimie of all-consuming Time.
1696. Monthly Mercury, VII. 83. The French King has had … such a Bulimy after Money.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. iv. 44. There is enough left to glut … any that has not … an Ecclesiastick Boulimy.
1833. Hood, Wks. (1862), II. 440. Novel reading is to some constitutions a sort of literary bullimy, or unnatural appetite.
1834. Southey, Doctor, xvii. first cousins of the moth who labour under a bulimy for black-letter.
1853. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith, 144. One incessant bulimia for idolatry.
