Forms: α. 4 qwinaci, quinesye, 5 queynose. β. 5 quynsy, qwynse, 5–6 quynce, 6 quency, 6 quinsye, 7 -se, -cy, 8 -sie, 6–9 quinsey, (8 -zey), 6– quinsy. γ. 6 quynnancy, quinancie, 6, 9 -cy. [ad. med.L. quinancia, f. Gr. κυνάγχη CYNANCHE, perh. as a refashioning of the commoner squinancia, whence the current Romanic forms, and Engl. squinacy (13th c.), -ancy, SQUINSY.] Inflammation of the throat or parts of the throat; suppuration of the tonsils; tonsillitis. Also, a form or attack of this.

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  α.  13[?].  Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 164. Men called þat vuel Comuynli, Þat he hedde the Qwinaci.

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14[?].  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 791/9. Hec squ[in]acia, a queynose.

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a. 1450.  ME. Med. Bk. (Heinrich), 215. Ferst lete hym blod … to rype þe quinesye.

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  β.  14[?].  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 587/32. Gutturna, Quynsy.

5

14[?].  Nominale, ibid. 709/1. The qwynse.

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1493.  Festivall (W. de W., 1515), 95 b. On a tyme he was nere deed of the quency.

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1534.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1246/1. He collereth them by the neck with a quinsye.

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1570.  B. Googe, Pop. Kingd., III. 38 b. Blase driues away the quinsey quight, with water sanctifide.

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1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 102. A famous medicine in Quinses, sore throats, and strangulations.

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1753.  Richardson, Grandison (1781), II. xvi. 167. She tried to swallow, as one in a quinsey.

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1841.  Catlin, N. Amer. Ind. (1844), II. lvii. 221. An alarming attack of the quinsey or putrid sore throat.

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1892.  Daily News, 6 Oct., 5/3. Since the gout left his throat the patient has had three quinsies.

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  γ.  1530.  Palsgr., 182. Les escrovelles, a disease called the qyynnancy or the kynges yvell.

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1587.  Mascall, Govt. Cattle, Horses (1627), 125. The quinancy is an ill sorenesse … in the throat of the horse.

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  b.  Comb., as quinsy-berry, the black currant, Ribes nigrum (Treas. Bot., 1866); quinsy-wort, the small woodruff (Asperula cynanchica).

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1846.  Sowerby, Brit. Bot. (ed. 3), Quinsey wort.

17

1861.  Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., III. 159. Its specific name … as well as its English name of Quinsey-wort or Quinancy-wort, refer to its ancient uses in disorders of the throat.

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  Hence Quinsied a., afflicted with quinsy.

19

1855.  Singleton, Virgil, I. 178. Drips from their nostrils sable blood, And presses quinsied jaws a furry tongue.

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