Forms: α. 4–7 iunipere, (4 iuny-, 5 -pre, -pur, iwnipre), 5–6 iunyper, (5 -pyr), 6–7 iuniper, (6 -peer), 7– juniper. β. 5 ieneper(e, ienyper, 6 ieni-, ieno-, iyneper; 5 gynypre, genopir, 5–7 geneper, (6 -par, -pre), 6 genne-, giniper, 7 ginnuper. [ad. L. jūniper-us, repr. in Romanic by F. genièvre (OF. -evre, -eivre, etc.), Prov. genibre, -ebre, Sp. enebro, Pg. zimbro, It. ginepro. The β-forms follow OF. in substituting e or i for the ū, but retain the p of the Latin. OF. genevre was adopted in MDu. as genever (Du. jenever): see GENEVA1, JENIVER.]
1. A genus of coniferous evergreen shrubs and trees, of which about thirty species are found in different parts of the northern hemisphere; specifically and originally, the common European species Juniperus communis, a hardy spreading shrub or low tree, having awl-shaped prickly leaves and bluish-black or purple berries, with a pungent taste, yielding a volatile oil (oil of juniper) used in medicine as a stimulant and diuretic, also in the manufacture of gin. The common N. American species is J. virginiana.
The wood is occasionally used in joinery; the seeds and wood were formerly burnt as purifiers of the air. The coal of juniper wood was fabled to have a wonderful power of remaining glowing.
a. 1400. Pistel of Susan, 71 (Vernon MS.). Þe Iunipere ientel, Ionyng be-twene.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxviii. 289. That Tre hathe many Leues as the Gynypre hathe.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 397 (E.E.T.S.). Bordis of cipresse Playn and direct, vpsette hem in their kynde A foote atwyn, and hem to gedir dresse Wit iunipur [v.r. ienyper], box, oliue, or cupresse, So worchyng up thy wowis by and by.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccccxix. 734. A great large dyke full of busshes of genepar, and other small busshes.
c. 1550. Lloyd, Treas. Health (1585), S v. Give vnto the pacient … a litle oyle of Ienoper.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lxxxii. 763. Iuniper or the beries thereof burned driueth away … all infection and corruption of the ayre.
1582. Nottingham Rec., IV. 199. Paid for iyneper to swetten the Hall jd.
1594. Spenser, Amoretti, xxvi. Sweet is the Iunipere, but sharpe his bough.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 301. Anoint all his breast over with the Oyl of Ginnuper and Pepper mixt together.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Tracts, 58. The coals of Juniper raked up will keep a glowing Fire for the space of a year.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xxix. 459. Common Juniper has three spreading, pointed leaves, coming out together, that are longer than the berry.
1823. Byron, Juan, X. lxiii. Holland … That water-land of Dutchmen and of ditches Where juniper expresses its best juice.
1857. Whittier, Last Walk Autumn, ii. On a ground of sombre fir And azure-studded juniper.
1871. H. Macmillan, True Vine, vii. 273. The club-moss and the juniper invade the brown wastes of heath.
b. Loosely applied to coniferous trees of other genera, as the American Larch or Hackmatack (Larix Americana), and the White Cedar (Chamæcyparis sphæroidea) of the Southern U.S.
1748. H. Ellis, Hudson’s Bay, 138. They are commonly of Fir, or Larch, which the English there call Juniper.
1866. Treas. Bot., 642/1. Juniper,… also applied in Nova Scotia to the Hackmatack, Tamarack.
c. In the translations of the Bible, used, after the Vulgate, to render Heb. rethem or rōthem, a white-flowered species of Retama, R. Rætam, a shrub with rush-like branches, which are leafless or bear a few unifoliate leaves.
1388. Wyclif, Job xxx. 4. The roote of iunyperis [1382 iunypere trees] was her mete.
1560. Bible (Genev.), Ps. cxx. 4. It is as the sharpe arrowes of a mightie man, and as the coales of Iuniper.
1608. Hieron, Wks., I. 711. These mine aduersaries, whose tongues are as the coales of iuniper.
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 272. He saw the Prophet also, how he fled Into the Desert, and how there he slept Under a juniper.
2. slang. Gin (cf. juniper-brandy below).
1857. J. E. Ritchie, Nt. Side Lond., 195. The pots of heavy and the quarterns of juniper are freely quaffed.
† 3. A name for the Fieldfare. Obs.
[1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 25. People eate the feldefares vndrawen … because they are full of the berries of Iuniper.]
1598. Florio, Collurione, a bird called a Fieldfare or Iuniper.
4. attrib. and Comb., as juniper-berry, -leaf, -root, -shrub, -top, -tree, -wood; † juniper-beads, (?) beads of juniper wood; juniper-brandy, a name for gin; † juniper lecture (obs. colloq.), a severe pungent ‘lecture’ or reprimand; so † juniper letter; juniper-oil = oil of juniper (see 1); juniper pug, a species of pug-moth (Eupithecia sobrinota), the larva of which feeds only on juniper; juniper-resin = gum juniper: see GUM sb.2 3 a (Syd. Soc. Lex., 1887); juniper-water, a cordial drink made from or flavored with juniper; juniper-worm, the larva of a N. American geometrid moth (Drepanodes varus), which feeds upon juniper-leaves.
1486. Plumpton Corr., 51. The first gift that my lady of Syon gave to me was a par of *Jeneper beads pardonet.
1706. Hearne, Collect., 10 June (O.H.S.), I. 260. The Quaker … read him a *Juniper [mispr. Jumper] Lecture agt Lewdness.
1744–50. Ellis, Mod. Husbandm., VII. II. 142 (D.). When women chide their husbands for a long while together, it is commonly said, they give them a juniper lecture; which, I am informed, is a comparison taken from the long lasting of the live coals of that wood.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. v. § 29. Bishop Grouthead, offended thereat, wrote Pope Innocent the fourth such a *Juniper Letter taxing him with extortion.
1382. Wyclif, Job xxx. 4. The roote of *iunypere trees was the mete of hem.
1480. Caxton, Ovid’s Met., X. iv. Okes, Planes, Elmes, Beches, Geneper trees.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 41. A valley in Tirol remarkable for the height of its juniper trees.
1666. Temple, Lett., to Godolphin, Wks. 1731, II. 24. A little Bottle of *Juniper Water, which is the common Cordial in that Country.
Hence † Juniperate v. trans., to impregnate or flavor with juniper; Junipery a., abounding in junipers.
1605. Timme, Quersit., III. 181. Drinke … a little wine juniperated.
1882. [Lees & Clutterbuck], Three in Norway, viii. 61. The rockiest, brookiest, juniperiest country in the world.
