Obs. Forms: 4–6 emplastre, 6–7 emplaster, -aistre, -ayster; also 7 implaistre. [a. OF. emplastre-r, ad. L. emplastrāre, f. emplastr-um: see prec.]
1. a. To cover with a plaster; to plaster over; also fig. b. To spread on as a plaster.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 1053. Als fair as ye his [Solomon’s] name emplastre, He was a lecchour and an ydolastre.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Formul., Y ij b. To emplayster the place with diaculum.
1585. H. Lloyd, Treas. Health, D ij. Galbanum emplastered to the hed is of great efficacye.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XX. ix. Colewort is soveraigne good to be implaistred upon those tumors.
1633. trans. Bacon’s Life & Death (1651), 50. Let the Body be Emplaistred with Mastick, [etc.].
2. A rendering of L. emplastrare to bud trees (misinterpreted in quot. 1656); see EMPLASTRATION 1.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., VI. 86. The pechys in this moone Emplastred are.
1656. W. Du Gard, trans. Comenius’ Gate Lat. Unl., § 324. 90–1. He … besmears them, being implanted (which is to emplaster).
Hence Emplastering vbl. sb.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., III. 350. Oon in the stok, on graffeth under rynde; Emplastering an other dothe in kynde. Ibid., VII. 92. Emplasturyng accordeth with the tree That hath a juce of fattenesse in the rynde.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb. (1586), 72. Emplastring or inoculation.
1633. trans. Bacon’s Life & Death (1651), 50. Let this Bath, together with the Emplaistring … be renewed every fifth day.
