hog bed

English

Alternative forms

• hogbed, hog-bed, hog's bed

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɒɡ.bɛd/

Noun

hog bed (countable and uncountable, plural hog beds)

1. (obsolete, US, there regional) Lycopodium.

   Synonym: club moss

2. (obsolete, US, there regional) Ambrosia.

   Synonyms: ragweed, hogweed

   • 1827, James Ewell, The Medical Companion, Or Family Physician; Treating of the Diseases of the United States, with Their Symptoms, Causes, Cure and Means of Prevention: Common Cases in Surgery, as Fractures, Dislocations, &c. the Management and Diseases of Women and Children. A Dispensatory, for Preparing Family Medicine, and a Glossary Explaining Technical Terms. To which are Added, a Brief Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body, Shewing, on Rational Principles, the Cause and Cure of Diseases: an Essay on Hygiene, Or the Art of Preserving Health, Without the Aid of Medicine: an American Materia Medica, Pointing Out the Virtues and Doses of Our Medicinal Plants. Also, the Nurse's Guide, 7th edition, Washington, page 679:

     HOGBED OR HOGWEED, Ambrosia—Grows near farm yards, and on stony soils, like moss, about three inches high. The leaves are of a deep green colour, small and curly. The hogs delight to make their bed on it from whence it derives its name. A handful of this plant infused in a quart of water, and given in doses of a tea-cupful three or four times a-day, is a popular remedy among women to promote the menses or courses.

3. (obsolete, US, dialectal) The meaning of this term is uncertain., possibly Polytrichum commune.
   • 1691 May 20, “Letters of William Fitzhugh”, in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, volume 3, Richmond, VA: Virginia Historical Society, published 1896, page 258:

     Brother Luke: I write this particularly by itself and make a Conclusion in the former, because if you have occasion and see convenient you may let any one see it, and save yourself some labour of discoursing some matters, that are discours’d upon your manage. I have sent Hawkins up and down to every house to look about your Tob^o, who renders me a very vile account thereof, some gone, some hogbeds, and some damnify’d and that, that remains good there is such plenty of new Tob^o there's no disposing a pound thereof, for Mr Harrison neither look’d after it himself & discouraged Hawkins in the looking after it. I hope you remember the Hospital , that I desired you to bring in, as also to perswade a Minister in, if you can with a sober serious learned one. I suppose my sister will be large with you about your family affairs, that I Need add no further, I am With Sincerity S’r
     Your Wff.