The last triad of a trio of Oxford English Dictionary entries, as selected by Wovember friend Liz Ashdowne. This time we move from lamb to crone.
lamb-ale, noun
(see quotation).
1781 T. Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry III. xxv. 129 Lamb-ale is still used at the village of Kirtlington in Oxfordshire, for an annual feast or celebrity at lamb-shearing.
1857 J. Toulmin Smith Parish (new ed.) 503 The ‘Ales’ were numerous. Brand mentions‥Lamb-Ales, Leet-Ales, [etc.].
In Wovember 2011 we had a predecessor to Wovember Words – as it turns out, one can actually drink lambs wool!
teg|tag, noun
A sheep in its second year, or from the time it is weaned till its first shearing; a yearling sheep; = hog n.1 4, hogget n. 2. Formerly restricted to the female; now applied to both sexes (ewe teg and wether tegs). Also attrib. as teg sheep, teg wool (see 1b).
1537 in J. Raine Priory of Hexham (1864) I. App. 130 One Stringor, that brought a tegg from Wresill.1607 E. Topsell Hist. Fovre-footed Beastes 640 The first year we call it‥a Lamb,‥the second year a hog Lam-hog, or Teg if it be a female.
crone, noun
An old ewe; a sheep whose teeth are broken off. Also crone sheep.
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum, Crone or kebber sheape, not able to be holden or kepte forth, adaria, adasia.
1575 G. Gascoigne Fruites of Warre lxiii, in Posies sig. Hviii, The Sheep maister his olde cast croanes can cull.
1674 J. Ray S. & E. Countrey Words in Coll. Eng. Words 63 Crones, old Ewes.
1767 A. Young Farmer’s Lett. 217 Fifteen old crones sold fat, with their lambs.