Forms: 5 siryng, syryng, 5–7 siring, 6 syrring, syrynge, searing, 6–7 sirynge, syring, sering, 7 cyring, serring(e, sirreng, serrenge, serrindge, 7–8 sir(r)inge, 7–9 seringe, 8 cirenge, 6– syringe. [ad. med.L. siringa, sirynga (whence OF. ceringue, syringue, F. seringne, It. sciringa, Sp. jeringa, Pg. seringa), to which is due the pronunciation with final (ŋ), which seems to have survived till near the close of the 17th cent. In the 16th cent. the word began to be assimilated to the oblique cases of the classical form syrinx, pl. syringes, by being spelt with a final e.]
1. A small cylindrical instrument, in its commonest form consisting of a tube fitted with a piston, but in some modern types of a tube with a rubber bulb attached, used to draw in a quantity of water or other liquid, and to eject it forcibly in a stream or jet for making injections, cleansing wounds, etc.; † also used as a catheter.
In quot. 1617 applied opprobriously to a surgeon.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 33. I toke a siryng of siluer and a bleddre y-bounden aboute ful of sanguis veneris, and þe siryng y-putte in þurȝ oon hole and þe bleddre compressed wiþ þe fyngers, þe oile inȝetted went out by al þe holes togidre on boþe sides. Ibid., 95. It availeþ mych agayne brynnyng of vryne within in þe ȝerd, If it be cast in wyþ a syryng.
1541. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 H iij. A syring of bras yt the grekes call Cathering.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., III. x. 99 b. Let thys decoction be spouted into the wounde … wyth a syrynge [orig. siringa]. Ibid., Interpr., Syrynges, Syryngx signifyeth a pype, or spoute.
1561. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. vi. 189. A sering of siluer, parcell gilte.
1590. Barrough, Meth. Phisick, III. lvii. (1639), 192. If urine be gathered in the bladder, let it be brought out with a cyring.
1595. Widdowes Treas., E j. With this water with your Searing, squirt it into the Yarde.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 12. The large Siringe containing one wine pint, commonly called the Glister Siringe.
1615. Markham, Eng. Housew. (1660), 15. Take old Ale,… adde thereto a pretty quantity of life hony, and as much Allome, and then with a serrindge or such like, wash the sores therewith.
1617. Fletcher, Mad Lover, III. i. Surgeon, Serring, Dogleach, shall I come fetch ye?
1639. T. de Grey, Compl. Horsem., 106. With a pewter or elder sering or squirt inject it into his nose.
1683. Salmon, Doron Med., I. 92. Water … cast in with a syring.
1699. Garth, Dispens., V. 62. Then, from their level’d Syringes they pour The liquid Volly of a missive Show’r.
1791. Gentl. Mag., Jan., 22/2. The use of the syringe is generally recommended by medical practitioners in deafnesses.
1884. Pye, Surgical Handicraft, 480. The Hypodermic Syringe.
1890. Retrospect Med., CII. 290. Removing with spoon and syringe the clot itself within the lateral sinus.
1909. Blackw. Mag., Jan., 33/1. His subcutaneous syringes for morphia were worn out.
b. A similar instrument used for various purposes, as exhausting or compressing air, squirting water over plants, etc.: see quots.
1659. Leak, Waterwks., 3. If the Aire be prest … let it be by means of a Seringe or by a pipe.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 19 Aug. 1641. By compression of the ayre with a syringe.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Syringe,… an Instrument made of Ivory in use among Confectioners for the making of March-panes.
1710. New Map Trav. of High Church Apostle, 7. Two Cirenges hanging at his Saddle,… to squirt in the Eyes of his Lowflyers.
1792. Trans. Soc. Arts, X. 275. A Syringe for watering Plants or Flowers, in imitation of rain.
1805. Loudon, Improv. Hot-Houses, 162. Giving the whole plants and house a gentle shower with the seringe.
1831. Lardner, Pneumat., ii. 228. Two instruments … called syringes, one the exhausting syringe, and the other the condensing syringe.
1867. Baker, Nile Trib., xxi. (1872), 366. A quart syringe lor injecting brine into fresh meat.
2. Applied to certain natural structures in insects.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., xlvi. IV. 353. Syringes … organs situated in various parts of larvæ, from which they ejaculate a watery fluid to annoy or drive away their enemies.
1909. Century Dict., Suppl., Syringe … in the head of a hemipterous insect, a chamber beneath the pharynx and extending to the grooves of the setæ in the beak,… supposed to propel the product of the salivary glands towards the tips of the setæ.
3. Comb., as syringe-case, -needle, -pipe, -spout, -valve; syringe-engine, a form of hand-pump formerly used as a fire-extinguisher; syringe-gun, a syringe used for disabling humming-birds by ejecting water upon them.
1599. Minsheu, Sp. Dict. (1623), Xeringa … a siring spout to spout into the yard of him that cannot make water.
1653. T. Brugis, Vade Mecum (ed. 2), 147. The holes of the siringe-pipe are like to bee choaked.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Syringe-case. Ibid., Syringe-engine. Ibid., Syringe-valve.
1879. Goode, Catal. Anim. Resources U. S., 90. Water-guns. Syringe-guns.
1903. Daily Chron., 26 Oct., 5/7. To the end of the syringe fitted a needle. The enclosing metal case had apertures for the syringe needle.
