Forms: 3–4 heyhoue, 4 haihay-, hale-houe, 6–7 ale-hove, ale-hoofe, 7–9 ale-hoof. [Formerly ale-hove, from OE. ‘hófe, viola’ (Ælfric) in allusion to its alleged use in brewing instead of hops; perhaps a corruption of the earlier hay-hove, ‘hedge-hove,’ influenced by misunderstanding of another early name, tun-hove, f. tún enclosure. Among the various kinds of hófe mentioned in OE. there is no ale-hófe. See HOVE.]
The herb ground-ivy (Nepeta Glechoma); also formerly called hay- or hey-hove, horse-hove, and HOVE.
a. 1300. W. de Biblesworth, in Wright, Voc., 162. Eyre terestre, heyhowe.
c. 1350. Arderne, Practica, in Promp. Parv., 250. Haihoue, vel halehoue, vel folfyt, vel horshoue.
1579. Langham, Gard. Health (1633), 8. Alehoofe, ground iuie, gilrunbith ground, or Tudnoore.
1597. Gerard, Herball, II. ccc. 705. Commonly called … ground Iuie, Alehoof, Gill creepe by ground, tunehoofe, and Cats foote. Ibid., 707. The women of our northren parts … do tun the herbe Alehooue into their ale, but the reason thereof I know not.
1656. Ridgley, Pract. Physic, 284. Let him take often with a spoon Water of Alehove.
1676. Beal, in Phil. Trans., XI. 587. Alehoof, or Ground-Ivy, famous for dispatching the maturation of Ale and Beer.
1859. E. Capern, Ball. & Songs, 128. Where ale-hoof and the borage, too, Held forth their gems of blue.
