a. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 freme, 4 frym, 6–7 frimm(e, (7 frime, 8 frem), 7– frim. [OE. fręme:—prehistoric *frami-, cognate with fram adj., forward, advanced, bold.]
a. Vigorous, flourishing; after OE. only in physical sense (or fig. of this), luxuriant in growth, plump, full-fleshed. b. Abundant in sap, juicy, full of moisture; rarely in unfavorable sense. Also of sap: Abundant, rich. c. Easily melting, soluble, fusible.
Beowulf, 1932. Mod Þryðo wæȝ fremu folces cwen.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 2328 (Gr.). Ic þam magorince mine sylle godcunde gife gastes mihtum, freondsped fremum.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 1078. & twelue syþeȝ on ȝer þay beren ful frym [fruits].
c. 1420. Liber Cure Cocorum (1862), 5.
| Cast on þe powder of hare I wot; | |
| Hit is so frym, ren hyt wylle | |
| An malt as sugur, by ryȝt good skylle. |
1589. Mar Martine, 3. Abbots were fat & friers frimme.
1600. Holland, Livy, VI. vii. (1609), 221. Those nations that by long peace were most frimme and lustie [ex integerrimis]. Ibid. (1601), Pliny, I. 348. Many are so frim and free of milke, that [etc.]. Ibid., 463. The timber also is more frim and soft.
1604. Drayton, Owle, 5.
| As the frim sap the yeerly course assyg’nde | |
| From the full roote, doth swell the plenteous rynde. | |
| Ibid. (1613), Poly-olb. xiii. | |
| My frim and lusty flank | |
| Her bravery then displays, with meadows hugely rank. | |
| Ibid. (1622), xxvii. | |
| Her deare daughter Dale, which her frim Cheeke doth lay | |
| To her cleere mothers Breast. |
1657. R. Austen, A Treatise of Fruit-Trees, I. 136. Seede plants are commonly more frim, straight & handsome, then woods-stocks.
1669. J. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 224. If May and June prove wet Months, it causes a Frimm and Frothy Grass.
1712. Morton, Northamptonshire, 51. The fremmest, as our Farmers express it, that is the Richest feeding Land we have.
1736. W. Ellis, New Exp. Husb., 54. The shorter and younger the Grass, the frimmer is the Sap.
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., O j b. Potter’s Ore … is so frim and fusible that a great deal of this sort is sold.
1750. W. Ellis, Mod. Husb., IV. i. 151. If the Crop be mowed off, beware of the second new Head, for a Cow was killed by it in a frim growing Time.
1888. Sheffield Gloss., s.v., This lettuce is very frim.
Hence Frimness.
c. 1714. T. Bates, in Athenæum, No. 1982 (1865), 535/3. All cows have naturally a purgation for five or six weeks in the spring from (as the cowkeepers term it) the frimness of the grass.
1736. W. Ellis, New Exp. Husb., 64. We commonly sow a Mixture of Clover, Trefoil, or Rye-Grass, to allay its Frimness.
