dial. Also 6 eschin, eshen, -yne, ession, esshon, -en, 7 eshon. [Etymology uncertain; ? var. of ASHEN (vessel); cf. ON. eski ashen box, mod.Icel. askja box generally.] A wooden pail or shallow tub.

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1547.  Lanc. & Chesh. Wills (Chetham Soc.), I. 109. V milke trowhgs and v essions xxd. Ibid. (1558), (1884), 20. Fyve loomes for Ale … and iiij Esshons. Ibid. (1573), III. 60. Sex eshens or skales.

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1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 335/1. A Milk Pail…. Milk Maids … I have heard … of some it is called a Pail, a Cruck, an Eshon, of others a Bouk.

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1691.  Ray, N. C. Words, An Eshin; a Pail or Kit.

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1775.  in Ash.

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1884.  Cheshire Gloss., Eshin, a large can for carrying milk from the shippon to the house.

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