milch en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English milche, melche, from Old English *melċe, *milċe (attested in þrimilċe, þrimilċemōnaþ), from Proto-Germanic *milkijaz, *melkijaz from Proto-Germanic *melkaz (“milky, milk-giving”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂melǵ- (“to wipe, wipe off, milk”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian meelk (“milch”), Low German melke (“milch”), German melk (“milk-giving, milch”), Alemannic German mëlch (“milch, milkable”), Icelandic milkur, mjólkur (“milk-giving”). More at milk. Compare milchig.
Meanings
-
(dated, not-comparable, of a cow or other livestock) Used to produce milk; dairy.
so many cattle […] old cows and young cows; meek-eyed milch cows and fierce […] Texas steers.
1906, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle:
-
(dated, not-comparable, of a mammal) Currently producing milk for its offspring.
She wildly breaketh from their strict embrace / Like a milch doe, whose swelling dugs do ache / Hasting to feed her fawn, hid in some break.
1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC:you must house your Milch-cows
1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:
- (not-comparable, obsolete) Tender; pitiful; weeping.
Deriveds
milch camel · milchy · milch-woman · non-milch · milch-wench · milch-maid · milch cow · milch goat
Translations (18)
is mjaltur (giving milk) · bg доен (giving milk) · fi lypsy- (giving milk) · ru до́йная (giving milk) · pl mleczny (giving milk) · ga bainne (giving milk) · ga bleacht (giving milk) · az sağmal (giving milk) · cy blith (giving milk) · de melk (giving milk) · fa دنو (giving milk) · non mjaltr (giving milk) · cs dojný (giving milk) · fi lypsävä (giving milk) · tr sağmal (giving milk) · gu દૂઝણું (giving milk) · pl dojny (giving milk) · gsw mëlch (giving milk)