a. and sb. [ad. late L. edibilis, f. ed-ĕre to eat.]

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  A.  adj. Eatable, fit to be eaten.

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1611.  Cotgr., Ouë.… The paunch, and intralls of edible creatures.

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1661.  Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. The head, is edible,… of the cow, calfe, [etc.].

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1802.  Bingley, Anim. Biog. (1813), II. 395. The edible frog.

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1837.  M. Donovan, Dom. Econ., II. 219. The Edible Snail or Helix pomatia.

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1884.  J. Colborne, Hicks Pasha, 104. Everything edible was bought up.

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  B.  sb. An eatable substance, an article of food. (chiefly in pl.)

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1661.  Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. Birds, fishes, and other edibles.

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1670.  G. H., Hist. Cardinals, II. I. 114. Impositions upon Edibles.

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1859.  Sala, Tw. round Clock, 333. The delightful hampers of edibles and drinkables.

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1864.  Daily Tel., 23 Dec., 5/6. What will be the effect of the introduction of this new edible?

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  Hence Edibleness; = EDIBILITY.

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1772.  in Scott, Bailey’s Dict.

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1775.  in Ash; and in mod. Dicts.

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