v. Obs. [OE. efesian, efsian, f. efes, EAVES; the original sense must app. have been ‘to cut the thatch at the eaves of a building’ (cf. eaves-knife); but all the known OE. examples have the wider sense ‘to clip.’] trans. To cut, clip (a person’s hair, the coat of an animal, a tree, etc.); to cut short the hair of (a person).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xxvi. (Z.), 157. Ic efesiʓe oððe ic scere scep oððe hors.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 398. Absalones schene wlite, þet ase ofte ase me euesede him me solde his euesunge—þeo her þe me kerf of—uor two hundred sicles of seolure.
c. 1300. Marina, 64, in Horstmann, Leg., I. 172. A robe he dude hire apon, Ant euesede hire ase a mon.
c. 1325. Gloss. W. de Bibbesw., in Wright, Voc., 144. Monn top vus pri estancez [Gloss., evese my cop].
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 184. Watz euesed al vmbe-torne, a-bof his elbowes.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 166. Orcheȝardes and erberes euesed well clene.
