v. Sc. Also easten, eicen, -sen. [? repr. OE. *œxnian, *œhsnian, f. oxan-, *ohsan-, OX; cf. ON. kýr yxna ‘a cow in heat’ (Vigf.).] a. Of a cow: To desire the male. b. fig. To desire strongly. Hence Eisning vbl. sb.
1661. Act Chas. II., vii. 183 (Jam.). Fiftie sex calves, which within three years … would have eicened.
1715. Pennecuik, Tweeddale, 15 (Jam.). The country people call this plant … Eastning wort, which they affirm makes cows come to bulling.
a. 1774. Fergusson, Poems (1789), II. 42 (Jam.). Ye’ll weet mony a drouthy mou’, That’s lang a eisning gane for you, Withouten fill, O’ dribles frae the gude brown cow.
