whortle bush en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈwɜːtl̩bʊʃ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈwɝtl̩bʊʃ/ (General-American)
- /ˈhwɝtl̩-/ (General-American)
Etymology
From whortle + bush.
Meanings
-
Any of several shrubs belonging to the genus Vaccinium, bearing fruit known as whortleberries.
My course ran along by the foot of the beautiful Quantock Hills, where heavy-wooded coombes are scattered over the broad heathery downs, deep with bracken and whortle-bushes.
1889, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 23, in Micah Clarke:With a short breath of wonder, and a long one of delight, Rose stopped, and sat down by a low whortle-bush, with a pink frill still adorning it.
1882, Richard Doddridge Blackmore, chapter 4, in Christowell: A Dartmoor Tale, volume 2, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, page 69:The Red Bilberry, or whortle-bush, riseth up like the [Black], having sundry harder Leaves, like the Box-Tree Leaves, green and round pointed standing on the several Branches […]
1652, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physitian, London: Peter Cole, page 16:The bird feigned a broken wing, and Vassilli, falling into the trap, instead of shooting her at once, followed her as she dodged through the whortle bushes.
1915, Maud Doria Haviland, chapter 9, in A Summer on the Yenisei, London: Edward Arnold, page 193:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| whortle bushes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |