First published 1914; not fully revised
zigzag trefoilnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zigzag trefoil mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zigzag trefoil. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
Where does the noun zigzag trefoil come from?
Earliest known use
late 1700s
The earliest known use of the noun zigzag trefoil is in the late 1700s.
OED's earliest evidence for zigzag trefoil is from 1796, in the writing of William Withering, physician and botanist.
Nearby entries
- Zigeunerin, n.1845–83
- ziggety, int., adj., & adv.1924–
- ziggurat, n.1873–
- zigzag, n., adj., & adv.1712–
- zigzag, v.1777–
- zigzag connection, n.1922–
- zigzagged, adj.1774–
- zigzaggery, n.1761–
- zigzaggy, adj.a1845–
- zigzag machine, n.1952–
- zigzag trefoil, n.1796–
- zig-zig, n.1918–
- Zika, n.1952–
- Zilavka, n.1926–
- zilch, n. & adj.1925–
- zilch, v.1957–
- zill, n.1754–
- zilla, n.1772–
- -zilla, comb. form
- zilladar, n.1763–
- Zil lane, n.1985–
Meaning & use
- 1796–Trifolium medium.
- 1796
Zigzag Trefoil,..Tr. medium.
W. Withering, Arrangement of British Plants (ed. 3) vol. III. 651 - 1843
[T. medium] can be recognised by its zigzag stem, from which..it is sometimes called Zigzag Trefoil.
Penny Cyclopaedia vol. XXV. 211/1
the world plants particular plants plants and herbs according to family leguminous plants [nouns] clover or trefoil- cloverOld English–The common name of the species of Trefoil (Trifolium, family Leguminosæ), esp. T. repens and T. pratense, both largely cultivated for fodder.
- white cloverOld English–A low-growing clover with white flowers, Trifolium repens, native to western Eurasia but now widely planted to improve grassland for grazing and…
- hare-foota1300–1570A plant; = hare's foot, n. 1 ? Obsolete.
- clerewort?a1400Possibly = Old English clæferwyrt Small Clover (? Trifolium minus).
- clover-grassa1400–1822= clover, n. 1.
- trefoilc1400–A plant of the genus Trifolium, having triple or trifoliate leaves; a clover: commonly applied to species or varieties other (esp. smaller) than…
- sucklingc1440–Clover. (Also lamb-sucklings.) dialect †Also glossing Latin locusta. = honeysuckle, n. A.I.1, A.I.2; suckle, n.¹ a.
- four-leaved grassc1450–four-leaved grass: †(a) A four-leaved variety of Trifolium repens; (b) the plant Paris quadrifolia.
- honeysuckle grass?c1450–White clover, Trifolium repens.
- sucklea1500–Clover. Also called †lamb-suckle.
- three-leaved grassa1500–Having three leaves, or leaves consisting each of three leaflets; trifoliate. three-leaved grass n. an old name for clover; in quot. 1634 apparently…
- trefle1510–27= trefoil, n. 1. Obsolete.
- Trifolium?1541–A large genus of leguminous plants, with trifoliate leaves, and flowers mostly in close heads; including many valuable fodder-plants, known as clovers…
- trinity grass1545–1657An old name for some species of trefoil.
- lote1548–1676Any of several herbaceous leguminous plants of meadows and pastures; = lotus, n. 4a. Cf. melilot, n. Obsolete.
- hare's foot1562–A species of clover (Trifolium arvense), with soft hair about the flowers. Also called hare's-foot trefoil. See also hare-foot, n.
- lotus1562–Any of various herbaceous leguminous plants typically found in meadows or pastures or used for fodder. Cf. lote, n.¹ 3.
- triple grass1562The genus Trifolium.
- blain-grass1570? clover.
- meadow trefoil1578–T. pratense, also the wild T. medium.
- purple grass1597–Any of various clovers or clover-like plants, including white clover, Trifolium repens, and spotted medick, Medicago arabica.
- purplewort1597–= purple grass, n. 1. Now rare.
- satin flower1597–Either of two plants of the genus Lunaria, the annual L. annua and the perennial L. rediviva, which have flattened seed pods with a silvery sheen…
- cithyse1620–34A fodder plant; probably = cytisus, n. (a).
- true-love grass?a1629–1881The plant herb Paris (see true love, n. 2a).
- garden balsam1633–†a. Blue fenugreek, Trigonella caerulea (obsolete); b. an annual flowering plant, Impatiens balsamina (family Balsaminaceae), native to Southeast…
- hop-clover1679–= hop-trefoil, n.
- Dutch clover1685–White clover, Trifolium repens; (also) any of various small or low-growing varieties of white clover. Also with distinguishing word.
- Burgundian hay1712Belonging to Burgundy (in any of the senses of the name). †Burgonian cross = St Andrew's cross n. at St Andrew, n. 2. Burgundian hay: = Burgundy hay…
- strawberry trefoil1731–Trifolium fragiferum.
- honeysuckle trefoil1735–Red clover, Trifolium pratense.
- honeysuckle clover1760–Either of two clovers, red clover, Trifolium pratense, and white clover, T. repens; cf. honeysuckle, n. A.I.1.
- red clover1764A clover of meadows and pastures, Trifolium pratense, with leafy stems and heads of pink-purple flowers, native to Eurasia and North Africa but now…
- buffalo-clover1767–A species of clover (Trifolium pennsylvanicum) found in the prairies of North America.
- marl-grass1776–Zigzag trefoil, Trifolium medium; (also) red clover, T. pratense.
- cow-grass1784–A wild species of Trefoil, Trifolium medium; sometimes also applied to a cultivated perennial form of Red Clover.
- purple trefoil1785–= meadow trefoil, n.
- white trefoil1785–White or Dutch clover.
- yellow trefoil1785–Any yellow-flowered species of Trifolium, as T. procumbens; also Medicago lupulina.
- sulla1787–A leguminous plant, Hedysarum coronarium (also called French honeysuckle), with flowers resembling those of the red clover, found in some…
- The strawberry clover, Trifolium fragiferum.
- zigzag trefoil1796–Trifolium medium.
- rabbit's foot1817–As the name of a plant. North American. More fully rabbit foot clover. Hare's-foot trefoil, Trifolium arvense (family Fabaceae (Leguminosae)).
- lotus grass1820–Any of various leguminous plants of meadows and pastures (see lotus, n. 4).
- = strawberry trefoil, n.
- A European trefoil, Trifolium alpinum, with reddish flowers.
- bird's bill1840–Bird's-foot clover, Trifolium ornithopodioides.
- hop-trefoil1855–A name for yellow clover (Trifolium procumbens), from the resemblance of its withered flower-heads to the cones of the hop; also applied to the…
- clustered clover1858–With qualifying words, indicating the different species: esp. clustered clover n. Trifolium glomeratum. red clover n. or meadow clover (broad clover c…
- subterranean clover1858–A European clover, Trifolium subterraneum, whose fruiting heads bury themselves in the ground, and which has been naturalized as a weed of…
- strawberry clover1863–= strawberry trefoil, n. (Prior Plant.-n. 1863).
- alsike1881–More fully alsike clover. A perennial European clover, Trifolium hybridum, with white or pale pink flowers, widely grown in cool climates as a…
- mountain clover1882–Any of various clovers (Trifolium species) that grow in mountainous areas.
- knop1897–Hence, A popular name of Red Clover. U.S.
- Swedish clover1908–= alsike, n.
- sub clover1920–Subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum.
- four-leaf clover1927–A rare form of clover leaf having four leaflets, regarded as a lucky charm or sign of good fortune; cf. four-leaved, adj.