glean
verb
- to collect bit by bit
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɡliːn/ / /ɡlin/
noun
Etymology: Possibly a variant of clean (“(UK, dialectal; noun) the afterbirth of a cow or sheep; (verb) of a cow or sheep: to bring forth the afterbirth”), possibly from clean (“to remove dirt from an object or place”), referring to an animal’s uterus being cleaned out by the delivery of the afterbirth.
- The afterbirth or placenta of an animal, especially a cow or sheep.
“The gleane of a covv hauing nevvly calved, taken vvhiles it is moiſt and ſo applied, is good for any ulcers of the viſage.”
“[O]ur midvvives doe vvarrant, that if a vvoman drinke goats urine, it vvill ſtrip all fluxes of bloud be they never ſo immoderat, ſo that ſhe apply alſo outvvardly the dung of the ſaid beaſt. The pellicle or gleane vvherein a kid vvas enfolded vvithin the dams vvombe, kept untill it bee drie and drunke in vvine, putteth foorth the after-birth in vvomen.”
verb
Etymology: Possibly a variant of clean (“(UK, dialectal; noun) the afterbirth of a cow or sheep; (verb) of a cow or sheep: to bring forth the afterbirth”), possibly from clean (“to remove dirt from an object or place”), referring to an animal’s uterus being cleaned out by the delivery of the afterbirth.
- Of an animal, especially a cow or sheep: to deliver its afterbirth or placenta.
“To make a Covv glean vvell, and keep her in Health aftervvards.— […] And as it is a Cuſtom vvith ſome to give all their Covvs a cleanſing Drink after Calving, I recommend this to be a good one for that Purpoſe.— […] A fourth is, to boil a Quart of ground Malt in tvvo Quarts of Ale, and give all vvarm. A certain Perſon gave this laſt to a Covv, vvhich, on the third Day after Calving, had not gleaned; but in five Days after it came avvay vvhole.”