Also 5 sqwylle, squylle, 6 squyll, 7 squille, 6–8 squil. [ad. L. squilla, var. scilla, a. Gr. σκίλλα. So F. squille, It. squilla, Pg. esquilla, Sp. escila.]
1. A bulb or root of the sea-onion or other related plant (see 2). Chiefly in pl.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 195. Froting wiþ squillis is good þerfore. Ibid., 196. Þou schalt frote wel þe place with squillis in a stewe.
1561. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 20. Thrust a squill dipped in oyle into hys throte, to cause him perbreake.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, 143. As for cornes and apostumes they must be killed with strong leauens, onions, lillies, or squils and vineger.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 445. Put them into a Squill, (which is like a great Onion, and they will come up much earlier than in the Earth it self.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 689. Add to these … Hellebore, and Squills deep rooted in the Seas.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v. Venice-Treacle, In the other part of the Wine infuse … green Squills for some time.
1738. Chambers, Cycl. (1752), s.v. Scilla, There are two kinds of squills, the male and female … also distinguished by the appellations of white squills … and red squills.
1807. Robinson, Archæol. Græca, III. iv. 211. By drawing round the person purified a squill, or sea-onion.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 716. Macerate dry squills in alcohol, decant, and distil.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1194/2. It has been supposed that the Red Squills are the produce of another species, Urginea Pancration, but this seems doubtful.
b. In the names of various preparations made from these bulbs.
1652. J. French, Yorkshire Spa, ix. 82. Let him … take some easie vomit, as of Oxymel, or wine or Squils.
1684. [see OXYMEL].
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Scillites acetum, Vinegar of Squills.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 172. Galen … gave it to a Dram in Oxymel or Honey of Squills.
1778. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 2), I. 311. A solution of gum ammoniac in vinegar of squills.
1810. Crabbe, Borough, vii. 248. A potent thing, ’twas said, to cure the ills Of ailing lungs—the oxymel of squills.
1879. St. George’s Hosp. Rep., IX. 551. Oxymel of squills and compound tinct. of camphor.
c. Pharm. Without article, as a substance.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v., Vinegar made of Squill or Scillitick Oximel.
1836. Pharm. R. Coll. Phys., 56. Squill contains a peculiar vegetable product to which the name of scillitin has been given.
1875. H. C. Wood, Therap. (1879), 480. Clinical experience has established the fact that in small repeated doses squill is diuretic as well as expectorant.
2. Bot. The bulbous-rooted sea-shore plant Scilla (or Urginea) maritima; the sea-onion; also, any other species of the genus Scilla.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 856. Eek figtre askis oon on rukul throwith, Another hangith vp or sowith squylle. Ibid., IV. 340. To sowe ek squylle is kynde On euery side.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 471/1. Sqwylle, herbe, cepa maris, bulbus.
1516. Grete Herball, ccccxiii. (1529), Y iv. A squyll or see onyon.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. (1568), 62. It is meruelus that chanseth vnto the Squill or se vnyon & to Narcissus.
1629. Parkinson, Parad., xi. 134. The Squill or Sea Onion is wholly vsed physically with us, because wee can receiue no pleasure from the sight of the flowers.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v., Squill is of a sharp and corrosive Nature; they wrap up its Root in Paste or Fullers Earth, and bake it in an Oven.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 328. Squill, scilla.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., II. viii. (ed. 2), 177. The picturesque little squill (Scilla autumnalis) will be found on the high ground.
1868. Gorrie, Summers & W. Orkneys, v. 222. The field-gentian, the bird’s-eye primrose, and the squill.
b. With distinguishing terms.
1629. Parkinson, Parad. (1656), 133. To taste of the red Squil.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Scilla, Common Red Squil. Ibid., The White Squil.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 338. Autumnal Squill. Ibid. Vernal Squill.
1811. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 362. There are two varieties of the officinal squill, one with a white bulb and the other with a reddish bulb.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 396/1. Squilla maritima, the maritime squill, has large roundish ovate bulbs. Ibid. Roxburgh’s Indian Squill (Scilla Indica).
1848. C. A. Johns, Week at Lizard, 279. Scilla autumnalis, Autumnal Squill, a plant very like the vernal species.
1901. Speaker, 20 April, 86/2. The meagre turf was spangled with the vernal squill.
c. A plant of the sea-onion or related species. Chiefly pl. as a collective term.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 19. These Squilles or Sea-onions grow in exceeding great abundance … throughout all Spaine.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 178. Near the Sea grow Squills, or Sea-Onions.
1718. Ozell, trans. Tournefort’s Voy., I. 152. The rest of the Mountain is spread with Cretan Thyme,… Lentisques, Squills.
1767. Abercrombie, Ev. Man own Gardener (1803), 727/2. Squills, sea onion, or lily hyacinth.
1846. Lindley, Veg. Kingd., 202. With the Scilleæ or Squills, we reach a division of the Order [etc.].
1882. Garden, 4 March, 139/3. The early Squills, too, assert themselves boldly.
3. One or other of certain plants resembling the squill (see quots.).
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 328. Squill, Lesser white, Pancratium.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1089/2. Chinese Squill, Barnardia. Ibid. Roman Squill, Bellevalia.
4. Zool. The mantis-shrimp, Squilla mantis.
1710. Sibbald, Hist. Fife, 54. The Crustate Animals comprehend under them several Species, such as the Squills, the Crabs, the Lobsters, and the Sea-Vrchin.
1879. E. P. Wright, Anim. Life, 536. Here would be placed the curious Squill, so common in the Mediterranean (Squilla mantis).
6. attrib. and Comb., as squill bulb, pill, vinegar; squill-like; † squill-fish, = sense 4; † squill-head (see quot.); † squill-insect, = SQUILLA 3.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 7. Sirnaming him Joult-head and Onions head, or as we should say Squil-head.
1681. Grew, Musæum, I. VII. iii. 176. The Squill-Insect…. So called from some similitude to the Squill-Fish.
c. 1790. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), I. 622/2. Ammoniac … is an ingredient also in the squill pills. Ibid. A plaster made of it and squill vinegar.
1811. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 362. The squill bulb is inodorous.
1822. Good, Study Med., IV. 402. When mixed, however, with the squill pill … it often succeeds.
1825. Greenho. Comp., I. 109. Ixia scillaris, squill-like flowers.
