sb. and a. Forms: 5 sinkfoil, (qwynfoile), 5–6 synkfoil(e, 6 cinkfoly, -ie, cinfoly, cinkfoile, (cinkefield), cinqfile, cinquefole, (cintfoyle), sinke-, synke-, sinckefoyle, 6–7 cinke-, cinquefoile, -foyle, 7 cinkfoil, sinkefoile, (sinkfield), 7–9 cinqfoil, 7– cinquefoil. [f. OF. type *cinkfoil, mod.F. quintefeuille (quintefoil in Alphita, 15th c.), corresp. to L. quinquefolium, f. quinque five + folium leaf.]
A. sb. 1. The plant Potentilla reptans (N. O. Rosaceæ), with compound leaves each of five leaflets. Also used of other species with similar leaves, and as a book-name for the whole genus.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, 81. Take of cinkefoyle the leues and rotes.
1562. Turner, Herbal (1568), II. 110 b. Quinquefolium is named in English Cinkfoly, or fyvefyngred grasse, or herb fyvelefe.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 96–7. Necessarie herbes to growe in the garden for Physick…. Cinqfile.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong., Quintefueille … an Hearbe called Cinkefield.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 36. There growes the cintfoyle, and the hyacinth.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad (1677), 33. Upon lote and cinquefoil feeding.
1858. R. Hogg, Veget. Kingd., 304. The Cinquefoils … numbering nearly two hundred species.
1863. Baring-Gould, Iceland, 332. Sprinkled with the orange Alpine cinquefoil.
b. Marsh cinquefoil: = Comarum palustre.
1793. G. White, Selborne (ed. Wood), II. xl. 265. I found Comarum palustre … or marsh cinque foil.
2. An ornamental design resembling the leaf of cinque-foil. Obs. exc. as in b and c.
1424. E. E. Wills (1882), 56. Six saucers of siluere werkid with a sink foil vnder þe brerdeȝ.
1448. Will of Blackett (Somerset Ho.). A basyn with the qwynfoile with the ewer.
1534. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 193. A huntynge horne harnesid with siluer with a bukkill & xviii barres & a synkfoile.
b. As a charge in Heraldry.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, 88. In siluer shield a cinquefoil blue.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xi. (ed. 3), 71. In the early Rolls the cinquefoil and the six-foil are used without any distinction.
c. Arch. An ornament used in the Pointed style, consisting of five divisions or ‘leaves’ formed by the spaces between a series of cusps, inscribed in a pointed arch or in a circular ring. Hence cinquefoil-headed adj.
1816. Gentl. Mag., LXXXVI. I. 222. The window … is divided by two mullions into three cinquefoil-headed lights.
1849. Freeman, Archit., 418. With … the cinquefoil, and even the actual pointed horse-shoe arch.
1876. Gwilt, Archit., Gloss., The cinquefoil, when inscribed in a circle, forms a rosette of five equal leaves having an open space in the middle, the leaves being formed by the open spaces.
B. adj. [= L. quinquefolius] = next.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., III. 656. Nowe betes sowe, and synk or quater foil Transplaunte.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 90/1. The Cinquefoile Avens hath the leaf divided into 5 parts.
1749. Phil. Trans., XLVI. 143. The Rays on the upper Part forming a beautiful cinquefoil Figure.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 139. In many doors, a trefoil and even cinquefoil feathering is used.
