Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HEALIN(G) BLADE, -LEAF, n.comb. [′helən-, see note to Hail, v.1]
1. The greater plantain, Plantago major (Sc. 1886 B. & H. 248–9; Mry., Abd. 1919 T.S.D.C. III., healin' blade; Cai. 1956).Slk. 1807 Hogg Shepherd's Guide 79:
Merry-leaf . . . called by some country people the healing-leaf, grows upon wet meadows, is long and slender, green on the upper side and red on the back.Slk. 1807 Trans. Highl. Soc. II. 389:
Mr James Hog . . . mentions the uniformly successful treatment of sheep affected with this disorder [Trembling Ill] . . . by giving them a decoction of the Dewcup and Healing leaf boiled in buttermilk.
2. The common house leek, Sempervivum tectorum (Clc. 1886 B. & H. 248–9).
[The names have been adopted in allusion to the use of the plants in medicative applications (Ib.).]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Healin Blade n. comb.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/healing_blade>
