[L. = wood of life.]
1. A tree; = GUAIACUM 1. Applied also to several other trees having wood of similar properties.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, III. cxviii. 1309. Italian Lignum vitæ, or woode of Life, groweth to a faire and beautiful tree.
1655. J. S., Jrnl. Eng. Army in W. Indies, 18. Of … Mastick and Lignum vitæ trees there are good plenty.
1712. E. Cooke, Voy. S. Sea, 326. The Trees I observ’d here, were Lignum Vitæ, Birch … and many more.
1792. [see GUAIACUM 1].
1866. Morning Star, 17 March. The lignum vitæ is putting forth its blossoms.
1866. Treas. Bot., Lignum vitæ of New South Wales, Acacia falcata. Lignum vitæ of New Zealand, Metrosideros buxifolia. Bastard lignum vitæ, Badiera diversifolia.
2. The wood of this tree; = GUAIACUM 2.
1594. Blundevil, Exerc., V. xii. (1636), 556. Wood of Brasill, wood of Guaicum, called Lignum vitæ.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 21 Nov. This morning my cozen Thomas Pepys, the turner, sent me a cupp of lignum vitæ for a token.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 74. If it be very hard Wood you are to Plane upon, as Box, Ebony, Lignum Vitæ, &c.
1817. J. Adams, Lett., 5 June, Wks. 1856, X. 263. Mr. Adams was born and tempered a wedge of steel to split the knot of lignum vitæ, which tied North America to Great Britain.
1886. Ruskin, Præterita, I. iii. 85. My toy-bricks of lignum vitæ had been constant companions.
3. The resin obtained from this tree; = GUAIACUM 3.
1611. Cotgr., Gayac, Gwacum, Lignum vitæ, Pockewood.
1616. Bullokar, Guaiacum. A wood called by some Lignum vitæ. It is much vsed in physicke against the French disease.
1686. S. Sewall, Diary, 2 Jan. (1878), I. 116. Discoursed with Ralf Carter about Lignum Vitae.
