Bot. Forms: 4, 6–7 sorell, 5–6 sorel, 6–7 sorrell (6 sowrell), 6– sorrel. [a. OF. surele (12th cent.), sorele, surelle (mod.F. surelle), f. OF. sur adj., an adoption of the Germanic sūr SOUR a.]
1. One or other of certain small perennial plants belonging to the genus Rumex, characterized by a sour taste, and to some extent cultivated for culinary purposes; esp. the common wild species, R. acetosa.
Earlier botanical names are Acedula (also Acidula), Acetosa, and Oxalis.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 465/1. Sorel, herbe, surella.
1530. Palsgr., 272/2. Sorell an herbe, oseille.
1548. Turner, Names Herbes (E. D. S.), 69. Oxalis, in barbarus latin Acetosa or Acidula, in englishe Sorel or sourdocke.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, V. ix. 558. Sorrel is commonly sowen in gardens, and is to be found also growing wylde.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, II. xv. 222. Sorrell & burnet … may be sowen in fine ground and well manured, in the spring time especially the sorrell.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xlvi. 180. Going into the woods we sustained ourselves with a certain herb like unto Sorrell.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, in Aliments, etc. I. 259. Several Plants known by their Taste, as Sorrel, &c.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 131. The seeds of the annual sorts of sorrel should be sown about the latter end of March.
1816. Keats, ‘I stood tip-toe,’ 98. Her nimble toes Patting against the sorrel as she goes.
1868. Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 394. ‘Acid’ soils,… indicated by the growth of sorrel … and other sour plants.
1889. A. R. Wallace, Darwinism (1890), 29. The sorrel … covers hundreds of acres with a sheet of red.
b. With distinguishing epithets, denoting various species of the genus Rumex.
For Sheep’s, Tree, Welsh sorrel see these words.
1611. Cotgr., Ozeille petite,… *barren Sorrell.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Acetosa, The Northern barren Sorrel.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVII. 610/1. By means of the common *broad-leaved sorrel an excellent black colour is … given to woollen stuffs.
1855. Delamer, Kitchen Garden (1860), 93. The best … is the Broad-leaved sorrel, of which a marked subvariety, the Golden Sorrel, is almost exclusively cultivated in the environs of Dunkirk.
c. 1710. Petiver, Cat. Ray’s Eng. Herbal, Tab. iii. *Common Sorrel.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 130. The common sorrel, which grows naturally in pasture lands in most parts of England.
1785. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xviii. (1794), 253. Common … Sorrel,… growing in meadows and pastures.
1597. Gerarde, Herball, II. lxxx. 320. Oxalis Crispa. *Curled Sorrell.
1858. A. Irvine, Handbk. Brit. Plants, 379. Rumex,… *Dock Sorrel.
1886. [see DOCK sb.1 4].
1846–50. A. Wood, Class-bk. Bot., 477. Rumex acetosella. *Field Sorrel.
1681. in Thanes of Cawdor (Spald. Club), 352. *French sorrell.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Acetosa, The Round-leav’d or French Sorrel.
1819. Pantologia, s.v. Rumex, R. sentatus, French sorrel.
1829. [see FRENCH a. 5].
1601. Chester, Love’s Mart., lviii. Sage, Scorpiades, and the *garden sorrell.
1855. *Golden sorrel [see Broad-leaved sorrel above].
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, V. ix. 559. The fifth kind, which groweth in ditches, is called … in Englishe, *Great Sorrel, Water Sorrel, and *Horse Sorrel.
1597. Gerarde, Herball, II. lxxx. 319. Oxalis tuberosa. *Knobbed Sorrell.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Acetosa, The Common or *Meadow Sorrel.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., The great *mountain-sorrel.
1611. Cotgr., Petite salette, *Pettie Sorrell, sallet Sorrell.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, V. ix. 558. Oxalis Romana. Tours Sorrel or *Romayne Sorrel.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 130. The round-leafed garden, or Roman sorrel.
1796. [see ROMAN a. 14 b].
1597. Gerarde, Herball, II. lxxx. 320. Oxalis Franca seu Romana. *Round Sorrell.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 25. Others will have the Leaf like round Sorrel.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Acetosa, The *Round-leav’d (or French) Sorrel.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., The round-leaved garden-sorrel.
1855. Delamer, Kitchen Garden (1860), 93. The Round-leaved sorrel … is not the kind to cultivate, except for variety.
1611. *Salad sorrel [see Petty sorrel above].
1597. Gerarde, Herball, II. lxxx. 321. Oxalis minor. *Small Sorrell.
1611. Cotgr., Ozeille sauvage,… *sowre Sorrell, the sowre Docke.
1578. *Tours sorrel, *Water sorrel [see Roman sorrel and Great sorrel above].
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Cantherinum lapathum, *wilde sorell.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Ozeille sauvage, wild sorrell.
2. The leaves of species of Rumex (see sense 1) used in cookery or medicine, or as a salad; a decoction or drink made from one or other of these plants.
a. 1400. in Rel. Ant., I. 51. Drynk sorell, plantayne, and chekyn-mete.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 54. With gynger þo pigge eton shalle be, And sorel with þo moton.
1539. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, 24. Sorell. Being sodden, it louseth the bealy.
1575. Gascoigne, Posies, Ep. Yng. Gent., Wks. 1907, I. 12. If the Chirurgian which should seeke Sorrell to rypen an Ulcer, will take Rewe [etc.].
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 145. Sorell is good in hot seasons … for the cholericke.
1696. Floyer, Anim. Humours, vi. 68. Cyder, French and Rhenish Wines, Vinegar, Sorrel, Verjuice, Limons.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Sat., II. iv. 37. III. 273.
| Sorrel and White-Wine, if you costive prove, | |
| And Muscles, all Obstructions shall remove. |
1747–96. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, v. 78. Take two handfuls of sorrel, pound it in a mortar.
3. † a. Sorrel de boys, = WOOD-SORREL. Obs.
a. 1400. Stockholm Med. MS., fol. 95. Alla .i. sorell de boye.
1548. Elyot, Acidula,… an herbe called sorrell de boys.
1552. Huloet, Alleluya herbe, otherwise called Sorrell de Boys.
1647. Hexham, I. (Herbs), Sorell de boyes, or Cuckoes Sorell, Kockocks Suyringh.
b. With distinguishing epithets, denoting various species of Oxalis (wood-sorrel).
1647. [see prec.].
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Alleluja,… an Herb otherwise call’d Wood-sorrel, or French Sorrel. Ibid., Oxalis, wild Sorrel or Wood-Sorrel, an Herb.
1889. Maiden, Usef. Plants, 50. Oxalis corniculata,… ‘Clover Sorrel,’ or ‘Sour Grass.’
1909. Cent. Dict., Suppl. s.v., Ladies’ sorrel, Oxalis stricta.
4. With distinguishing epithet: One or other of various plants of other genera in some way resembling sorrel (see quots.).
1864. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 787/2. Sorrel, *climbing: Begonia scandens.
1697. Phil. Trans., XIX. 375. Acetosa (a Plant of the Family with Rhubarb, which will be called The *Indian Sorrel, or Sower Docken).
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. App. s.v., Indian Sorrel, a name sometimes given to ketmia.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Sorrel, Indian Red, Hibiscus. Ibid. Sorrel, Indian White, Hibiscus.
1864. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 787/2. Sorrel, Indian or red: Hibiscus Sabdarifa.
1843. Babington, Brit. Bot. (1847), 273. Oxyria reniformis,… *Mountain Sorrel.
1889. Maiden, Usef. Plants, 35. Hibiscus heterophyllus,… *‘Queensland Sorrel.’
1829. Loudon, Encycl. Plants, 586, note. H[ibiscus] Sabdariffa … in the West Indies is called *Red Sorrel.
1864. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 787/2. Sorrel, *switch: Dodonæa viscosa.
1887. Moloney, Forestry W. Africa, 303. Switch Sorrel of Jamaica … Shrub or small tree.
5. pl. Species of sorrel; sorrel plants.
1596. in Analecta Scotica, II. 13. The seid of … sorrelis or sourochis.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v., Alleluya … has all the same Qualities and the same Taste as the other Sorrels.
1841. Penny Cycl., XX. 221/2. Well known as troublesome weeds to the agriculturist, under the name of docks and sorrels.
1866. Treas. Bot., 998/2. The Sorrels are considered of great importance in French cookery.
6. Salt of sorrel, binoxalate of potash.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., II. 202. Oxalic Acidulum, the Salt of Sorrel of the Shops.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 192. Two drams of sal-ammoniac, and half a dram of salt of sorrel.
1887. Bentley, Man. Bot. (ed. 5), 654. A potassium salt of oxalic acid, commonly termed salt of sorrel.
7. attrib., as sorrel-flower, genus, leaf, seed.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., Sorrel seeds … are esteemed astringent.
1811. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 350. Sorrel leaves are inodorous, and have a grateful … acidulous taste.
1845. S. Judd, Margaret, I. xvii. 171. The snow-fields seemed to bloom with glowing sorrel flowers.
1857. Henfrey, Bot., 359. Polygonaceæ. The Sorrel Order.
1866. Treas. Bot., 998/1. Rumex, the Dock and Sorrel genus.
b. In the sense ‘made from sorrel,’ as sorrel drink, jam, sauce, sops, soup, water.
1558. Warde, trans. Alexis’ Secr., 40 b. Thre vnces of endiue water, or sorell water.
1589. in H. Hall, Soc. in Eliz. Age (1887), 213. For rostinge the mutton and chickens and sorell soppes for the chickens.
1611. Cotgr., Vinaigrette, sorrell sawce.
1634. Heywood & Brome, Lanc. Witches, III. H.’s Wks. 1874, IV. 214. Here comes the payre of boyld Lovers in Sorrell sops.
1721. Mrs. Haywood, New Present for Maid, 155. Lay it in a dish with some sorrel sauce.
1855. Delamer, Kitchen Garden (1860), 93. It is used … principally for sorrel-soup.
1862. in Veness, El Dorado (1866), App. 122. Sorrel jelly,… sorrel jam, preserved papaws [etc.].
1863. Chambers’s Encycl., V. 359/1. Hibiscus Sabdariffa … affords a refreshing beverage, well known in the West Indies as Sorrel Cool Drink.
c. In the names of various plants, etc., as sorrel-thorn, -vine, -wood (see quots.). Also SORREL-TREE.
1799. Med. Jrnl., II. 80. The irritability inherent in the stamina of the flowers of the sorrel-thorn (l’épine-vinette).
1864. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 787/2. Sorrel-vine: Cissus acida.
1874. Treas. Bot., Suppl. 1343/2. Sorrelwood (N[ew] Zeal[and]), Oxalis magellanica.
