furze is in bloom, my love's in tune, when the

views updated Jun 11 2018

furze is in bloom, my love's in tune, when the proverbial saying, mid 18th century, with the implication that some furze can always be found in bloom (compare when the gorse is out of bloom, kissing's out of fashion). A Middle English source of the early 13th century has the rhyme, ‘Whanne bloweth [flowers] the brom, thanne wogeth [woos] the grom; Whann bloweth the furs, thanne wogeth he wurs.’

furze

views updated May 17 2018

furze OE. fyrs, of uncert. orig. (Gr. práson, L. porrum leek corr. formally, but have no connection of meaning).

furze

views updated May 17 2018

furze See gorse