zigzag trefoil, n.

zigzag-trefoil
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zigzag-trefoil_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
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

1. Zigeunerin, n. 1845–83
2. ziggety, int., adj., & adv. 1924–
3. ziggurat, n. 1873–
4. zigzag, n., adj., & adv. 1712–
5. zigzag, v. 1777–
6. zigzag connection, n. 1922–
7. zigzagged, adj. 1774–
8. zigzaggery, n. 1761–
9. zigzaggy, adj. a1845–
10. zigzag machine, n. 1952–
11. zigzag trefoil, n.1796–
12. zig-zig, n. 1918–
13. Zika, n. 1952–
14. Zilavka, n. 1926–
15. zilch, n. & adj. 1925–
16. zilch, v. 1957–
17. zill, n. 1754–
18. zilla, n. 1772–
19. -zilla, comb. form
20. zilladar, n. 1763–
21. Zil lane, n. 1985–

## Meaning & use

1. 1796–
   Trifolium medium.
   1. 1796

      > Zigzag Trefoil,..Tr. medium.

      W. Withering, Arrangement of British Plants (ed. 3) vol. III. 651
   2. 1843

      > [T. medium] can be recognised by its zigzag stem, from which..it is sometimes called Zigzag Trefoil.

      Penny Cyclopaedia vol. XXV. 211/1
   plants
   1. clover Old English–
      The common name of the species of Trefoil (Trifolium, family Leguminosæ), esp. T. repens and T. pratense, both largely cultivated for fodder.
   2. white clover Old English–
      A low-growing clover with white flowers, Trifolium repens, native to western Eurasia but now widely planted to improve grassland for grazing and…
   3. hare-foot a1300–1570
      A plant; = hare's foot, n. 1 ? Obsolete.
   4. clerewort?a1400
      Possibly = Old English clæferwyrt Small Clover (? Trifolium minus).
   5. clover-grass a1400–1822
      = clover, n. 1.
   6. trefoil c1400–
      A plant of the genus Trifolium, having triple or trifoliate leaves; a clover: commonly applied to species or varieties other (esp. smaller) than…
   7. suckling c1440–
      Clover. (Also lamb-sucklings.) dialect †Also glossing Latin locusta. = honeysuckle, n. A.I.1, A.I.2; suckle, n.¹ a.
   8. four-leaved grass c1450–
      four-leaved grass: †(a) A four-leaved variety of Trifolium repens; (b) the plant Paris quadrifolia.
   9. honeysuckle grass?c1450–
      White clover, Trifolium repens.
   10. suckle a1500–
       Clover. Also called †lamb-suckle.
   11. three-leaved grass a1500–
       Having three leaves, or leaves consisting each of three leaflets; trifoliate. three-leaved grass n. an old name for clover; in quot. 1634 apparently…
   12. trefle 1510–27
       = trefoil, n. 1. Obsolete.
   13. 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…
   14. trinity grass 1545–1657
       An old name for some species of trefoil.
   15. lote 1548–1676
       Any of several herbaceous leguminous plants of meadows and pastures; = lotus, n. 4a. Cf. melilot, n. Obsolete.
   16. hare's foot 1562–
       A species of clover (Trifolium arvense), with soft hair about the flowers. Also called hare's-foot trefoil. See also hare-foot, n.
   17. lotus 1562–
       Any of various herbaceous leguminous plants typically found in meadows or pastures or used for fodder. Cf. lote, n.¹ 3.
   18. triple grass 1562
       The genus Trifolium.
   19. blain-grass 1570
       ? clover.
   20. meadow trefoil 1578–
       T. pratense, also the wild T. medium.
   21. purple grass 1597–
       Any of various clovers or clover-like plants, including white clover, Trifolium repens, and spotted medick, Medicago arabica.
   22. purplewort 1597–
       = purple grass, n. 1. Now rare.
   23. satin flower 1597–
       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…
   24. cithyse 1620–34
       A fodder plant; probably = cytisus, n. (a).
   25. true-love grass?a1629–1881
       The plant herb Paris (see true love, n. 2a).
   26. garden balsam 1633–
       †a. Blue fenugreek, Trigonella caerulea (obsolete); b. an annual flowering plant, Impatiens balsamina (family Balsaminaceae), native to Southeast…
   27. hop-clover 1679–
       = hop-trefoil, n.
   28. Dutch clover 1685–
       White clover, Trifolium repens; (also) any of various small or low-growing varieties of white clover. Also with distinguishing word.
   29. Burgundian hay 1712
       Belonging 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…
   30. strawberry trefoil 1731–
       Trifolium fragiferum.
   31. honeysuckle trefoil 1735–
       Red clover, Trifolium pratense.
   32. honeysuckle clover 1760–
       Either of two clovers, red clover, Trifolium pratense, and white clover, T. repens; cf. honeysuckle, n. A.I.1.
   33. red clover 1764
       A clover of meadows and pastures, Trifolium pratense, with leafy stems and heads of pink-purple flowers, native to Eurasia and North Africa but now…
   34. buffalo-clover 1767–
       A species of clover (Trifolium pennsylvanicum) found in the prairies of North America.
   35. marl-grass 1776–
       Zigzag trefoil, Trifolium medium; (also) red clover, T. pratense.
   36. cow-grass 1784–
       A wild species of Trefoil, Trifolium medium; sometimes also applied to a cultivated perennial form of Red Clover.
   37. purple trefoil 1785–
       = meadow trefoil, n.
   38. white trefoil 1785–
       White or Dutch clover.
   39. yellow trefoil 1785–
       Any yellow-flowered species of Trifolium, as T. procumbens; also Medicago lupulina.
   40. sulla 1787–
       A leguminous plant, Hedysarum coronarium (also called French honeysuckle), with flowers resembling those of the red clover, found in some…
   41. strawberry-bearing trefoil 1796–
       The strawberry clover, Trifolium fragiferum.
   42. zigzag trefoil 1796–
       Trifolium medium.
   43. rabbit's foot 1817–
       As the name of a plant. North American. More fully rabbit foot clover. Hare's-foot trefoil, Trifolium arvense (family Fabaceae (Leguminosae)).
   44. lotus grass 1820–
       Any of various leguminous plants of meadows and pastures (see lotus, n. 4).
   45. strawberry-headed trefoil 1822–
       = strawberry trefoil, n.
   46. mountain liquorice 1836
       A European trefoil, Trifolium alpinum, with reddish flowers.
   47. bird's bill 1840–
       Bird's-foot clover, Trifolium ornithopodioides.
   48. hop-trefoil 1855–
       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…
   49. clustered clover 1858–
       With qualifying words, indicating the different species: esp. clustered clover n. Trifolium glomeratum. red clover n. or meadow clover (broad clover c…
   50. subterranean clover 1858–
       A European clover, Trifolium subterraneum, whose fruiting heads bury themselves in the ground, and which has been naturalized as a weed of…
   51. strawberry clover 1863–
       = strawberry trefoil, n. (Prior Plant.-n. 1863).
   52. alsike 1881–
       More fully alsike clover. A perennial European clover, Trifolium hybridum, with white or pale pink flowers, widely grown in cool climates as a…
   53. mountain clover 1882–
       Any of various clovers (Trifolium species) that grow in mountainous areas.
   54. knop 1897–
       Hence, A popular name of Red Clover. U.S.
   55. Swedish clover 1908–
       = alsike, n.
   56. sub clover 1920–
       Subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum.
   57. four-leaf clover 1927–
       A rare form of clover leaf having four leaflets, regarded as a lucky charm or sign of good fortune; cf. four-leaved, adj.
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Originally published as part of the entry for trefoil, n.

trefoil, n. was first published in 1914; not fully revised.