Chapter LIAMPO to LIME of L by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

Chinois les nomment Li-kin. C’est la source la plus sure, et la plus productive des revenus.”—Rousset, A Travers la Chine, 221.

LILAC, s. This plant-name is eventually to be identified with anil (q.v.), and with the Skt. nila, ‘of a dark colour (especially dark blue or black)’; a fact which might be urged in favour of the view that the ancients in Asia, as has been alleged of them in Europe, belonged to the body of the colour-blind (like the writer of this article). The Indian word takes, in the sense of indigo, in Persian the form lilang; in Ar. this, modified into lilak and lilak, is applied to the lilac (Syringa spp.). Marcel Devic says the Ar. adj. lilak has the modified sense ‘bleuâtre.’ See a remark under BUCKYNE. We may note that in Scotland the ‘striving after meaning’ gives this familiar and beautiful tree the name among the uneducated of ‘lily- oak.’

LIME, s. The fruit of the small Citrus medica, var. acida, Hooker, is that generally called lime in India, approaching as it does very nearly to the fruit of the West India Lime. It is often not much bigger than a pigeon’s egg, and one well-known miniature lime of this kind is called by the natives from its thin skin kaghazi nimbu, or ‘paper lime.’ This seems to bear much the same relation to the lemon that the miniature thin-skinned orange, which in London shops is called Tangerine, bears to the “China orange.” But lime is also used with the characterising adjective for the Citrus medica, var. Limetta, Hooker, or Sweet Lime, an insipid fruit.

The word no doubt comes from the Sp. and Port. lima, which is from the Ar. lima; Fr. lime, Pers. limu, limun (see LEMON). But probably it came into English from the Portuguese in India. It is not in Minsheu (2nd ed. 1727).

1404.—“And in this land of Guilan snow never falls, so hot is it; and it produces abundance of citrons and limes and oranges (cidras é limas é naranjas).”—Clavijo, § lxxxvi.

c. 1526.—“Another is the lime (lima), which is very plentiful. Its size is about that of a hen’s egg, which it resembles in shape. If one who is poisoned boils and eats its fibres, the injury done by the poison is averted.”—Baber, 328.

1563.—“It is a fact that there are some Portuguese so pig-headed that they would rather die than acknowledge that we have here any fruit equal to that of Portugal; but there are many fruits here that bear the bell, as for instance all the fructas de espinho. For the lemons of those parts are so big that they look like citrons, besides being very tender and full of flavour, especially those of Baçaim; whilst the citrons themselves are much better and more tender (than those of Portugal); and the limes (limas) vastly better. …”—Garcia, f. 133.

c. 1630.—“The Ile inricht us with many good things; Buffolls, Goats, Turtle, Hens, huge Batts … also with Oranges, Lemons, Lymes. …”—Sir T. Herbert, 28.

1673.—“Here Asparagus flourish, as do Limes, Pomegranates, Genetins. …”—Fryer, 110. (“Jenneting” from Fr. genétin, [or, according to Prof. Skeat, for jeanneton, a dimin. from Fr. pomme de S. Jean.]

1690.—“The Island (Johanna) abounds with Fowls and Rice, with Pepper, Yams, Plantens, Bonanoes, Potatoes, Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Pine-apples, &c. …”—Ocington, 109.