Forms: 1 cúslyppe, cúsloppe, 4–6 couslop(pe, 5 cowslope, -slowpe, -slyppe, cowe-, couslyppe, cowyslepe, (cowslek), 5–6 cowslop(pe, 6 couslip, couslape, 6–7 cowslippe, 6– cowslip. [OE. cú-slyppe, app. f. cú cow + slyppe viscous or slimy substance, i.e., ‘cow-slobber’ or ‘cow-dung’ (cf. G. kuh-scheisse as a plant-name in Grimm); the variant form in -sloppe, -slop may be compared with ME. sloppe, sloppy or wet place, and slops: see SLOP sb. and v.]
1. The common name of Primula veris, a well-known wild plant in pastures and grassy banks, blossoming in spring, with drooping umbels of fragrant yellow flowers. Also called Paigle.
c. 1000. Saxon Leechd., II. 326. Wyrc gode wensealfe; nim wudu merce … cu slyppan … ʓecnuca ealle.
c. 1000. Ælfric’s Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 135/26. Brittannica, cusloppe.
a. 1387. Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.), 23. Herba paralisis, couslop.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 99. Cowslope, herbe [Pynson, cowslek, or cowslop], herba petri, herba paralisis, ligustra.
c. 1450. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 586/44. Glustrum, cowslyppe.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., April, 141. Daffadowndillies, And couslips, and kingcups.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 36. There growes … The cowsloppe, the primrose, and the violet.
1610. Shaks., Temp., V. i. 89. In a Cowslips bell, I lie.
1663. Pepys, Diary, 26 April. Beyond into the fields, gathering of cowslipps.
1740. Somerville, Hobbinol, I. 101. The tufted Cowslips breathe their faint Perfumes.
1860. Gosse, Rom. Nat. Hist., 6. Tall and luxuriant cowslips.
b. In U.S. commonly applied to the Marsh Marigold.
1856. A. Gray, Manual Bot. U.S., 11.
2. Applied with qualifying words to various plants resembling the common cowslip. American Cowslip, Dodecatheon Meadia (N. O. Primulaceæ), with umbels of large rose-purple or white flowers, found in woods in N. America. b. French or Mountain C., the Auricula (Primula Auricula). c. C. of Jerusalem, Jerusalem C., the Lungwort, Pulmonaria officinalis (N. O. Boraginaceæ); also called C. of Bedlam, Bedlam C., BUGLOSS-C. † d. Our Lady’s Cowslip, the Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea, N. O. Liliaceæ). e. Virginian C., Mertensia or Pulmonaria virginica (Treas. Bot.).
1565–73. Cooper, Thesaurus, Bulbus sylvestris, our ladies couslapes.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 125. We call it in English Sage of Jerusalem and Cowslip of Jerusalem.
c. 1620. T. Robinson, M. Magd., 324. With Couslips of Hierusalem so nice, Sweet Eglantine, and cloues of Paradise.
1629. Parkinson, Paradisi in Sole (1656), 240. They [Primula Auricula] are called by divers women, French cowslips.
1676. Beal, in Phil. Trans., XI. 587. Cowslips of Jerusalem, peculiar to mitigate Hectical fevers.
1866. Treas. Bot., 421. The well-known American Cowslip, Dodecatheon Meadia, grows in woods in the warmer parts of North America. Ibid., 940. The Pulmonaria formerly held a place … under the country name of Jerusalem Cowslip.
1879. Prior, Plant-n., Cowslip, French- or Mountain-, Primula Auricula.
3. attrib. and Comb., as cowslip-bell, -bud, -cheek, -garland, -spangled adj.; cowslip-ball, a ball of cowslip-blossoms, often made by children; cowslip-peep, -pip, a cowslip-blossom (dial.); cowslip tea, a drink made by infusion of the flowers of the cowslip; also formerly a name for a variety of green tea (quot. 1796); † cowslip-water, a decoction made from cowslips, used medicinally; cowslip wine, wine made from cowslip-blossoms.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1863), 28. We will make a *cowslip-ball.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 82. *Cowslip buds, so early peeping.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 339. These Lilly Lips, this cherry nose, These yellow *Cowslip cheekes.
1794. Southey, Wat Tyler, I. Your friend … Wreathed me this *cowslip garland for my head.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 29. Folks tell me that the May’s in flower, That *cowslip-peeps are fit to pull. Ibid. (1835), Rural Muse, 36. In the cowslip-pips … Five spots appear.
1840. Mrs. Norton, Dream, etc. 238. Our pleasant walks through *cowslip-spangled meads.
1796. Hull Advertiser, 30 Jan., 1/2. Super-fine *Cowslip Tea, 14s. per lb.
1859. Mrs. Gatty, Aunt Judy’s Tales, 49–50. Aunt Judy had got beyond the age when cowslip-tea was looked upon as one of the treats of life.
1612. J. Webster, White Divel, L b. *Couslep-water is good for the memorie.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 325. To make *Cowslip Wine.
1860. Geo. Eliot, Mill on Fl., I. vi. Ways of … making the cowslip wine.
