Now dial. or vulgar. Also 7–9 sparagrass (7 sparragras), 8 -gras(se. [Corruption of SPARAGUS, assimilated to SPARROW and GRASS.] Asparagus.
α. 1664. F. Hawkins, Youths Behav., II. 178. Prauns, or Sparagrass. Ibid. A dish of Sparagrass.
1711. in Leader, Rec. Burgery Sheffield (1897), 334. Paid a messinger for bringing sparagrasse from Doncaster 1s.
1723. Pres. St. Russia, I. 151. Roses, Gilliflowers, and well-tasted Sparagras.
1764. Foote, Mayor of G., II. Wks. 1799, I. 181. I should recommend the opening a new branch of trade; sparagrass, gentlemen, the manufacturing of sparagrass.
1801. Southey, in C. Southey, Life, II. 154. Sparagrass (it ought to be spelt so) and artichokes, good with plain butter.
β. 1649. [see ASPARAGUS 1 δ].
c. 1685. Three Merry Trav., in Bagford Ball., 52. Both Chickens and sparrow grass she did provide.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 371, ¶ 4. The Ducklins and Sparrow-grass were very good.
1734. [see ASPARAGUS 1 δ].
1819. ‘Rabelais the Younger,’ Abeillard & Heloisa, 5. Some score hundred sparrow-grass, As it’s now call’d by every ass.
1860. O. W. Holmes, Elsie V., xxxii. Mind me now, and take the tops of your sparrowgrass.
1865. ‘C. Bede,’ Rook’s Gard., etc. 96. I have heard the word sparrowgrass from the lips of a real Lady—but then she was in her seventies.
b. attrib., as sparrow-grass bed, green, plant.
1658. in W. M. Myddelton, Chirk Castle Acc. (1908), 78. Paid … his gardiner that came with sparrowgrasse plants.
c. 1700. T. Houghton, in Essex Rev. (1906), XV. 170. The side of the dwelling house which looks toward the sparagrass beds.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), I. 28. Sparrow grass green—pale yellowish green with a mixture of grey and brown.
