Word: plash Part of Speech: verb Etymology: The verb is derived from Late Middle English *plashen (attested by the present participle form plashynge), from Anglo-Norman plaissier, plaisser, Old French plaissier, plaisser, and Old French plaissier (“to bend; to interlace”) (modern French plaisser (regional)), from Late Latin *plaxus, a variant of Latin plexus, the perfect passive participle of plectō (“to braid, plait, weave; to bend; to turn; to twist”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ- (“to fold; to plait, weave”). Doublet of pleach. The noun is derived from the verb. cognates * Old French plesce (“enclosure surrounded by hedges”) (Middle French plesse, Middle English plaishes (“hedges forming an enclosure, palisade of hedges or wattles”), modern French plaisse, plesse (“enclosure surrounded by hedges; hedge; branch of a hedge”)) Pronunciation: /plæʃ/ 1. Synonym of pleach (“to make or repair (a hedge) by partly cutting plant stems, bending them down, and intertwining them with other stems”). Labels: UK, dialectal, transitive Example: [I]n the months of Ianuarie and Februarie he ſhall firſt plaſh and cut his Hedges and Quick-ſets, that thereby they may grovv thicke and ſtrong at the bottomes: […] Example: It is almoſt incredible to vvhat perfection ſome had laid theſe Hedges, by the rural vvay of plaſhing, better than by clipping; […] 2. To bend down and intertwine (branches or stems of plants, etc.) to make or repair a hedge. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: [C]utting yong trees half a ſunder and bowyng downe theyr toppes to the ground, and plaſſhing the boughes that growe thicke oute of the ſydes wyth buſhes and thornes betwene thẽ [them], they brought to paſſe that theis [these] hedges were as good a defence to them as a wal: […] Example: Some againe plant Cornell Trees, and plaſh them, or keepe them lovve, to forme them into an hedge. 3. To bend down and intertwine (branches or stems of plants, etc.) to make or repair a hedge. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: You knovv that there vvas an Orchard on the left hand, and ſome of the Trees hung over the VVall, and my Brother did plaſh and did eat. Example: [L]et him plaſh dovvn ſmall Tvvigs, ſome above and ſome belovv, and then vvhilſt the Hound is hot, beat the outſides, and make his Ring-VValks tvvice or thrice about the VVood, 4. To intertwine (branches or stems of plants) on a trellis; to trellis; also, to train (a tree or other plant) to grow against a wall; to espalier. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: [A]s your Uine groweth you ſhall draw it through thoſe holes, and as you vſe to plaſh a Uine againſt a wall, ſo you ſhall plaſh this againſt the glaſſe window, on the in-ſide, and ſo ſoone as it ſhall beginne to beare Grapes you ſhall be ſure to turne euery bunch, ſo that it may lye cloſe to the glaſſe, that the reflection of the Sunne heating the glaſſe, that heate may haſten on the ripening, ⁊ increaſe the groath of your Grapes: […] 5. To intertwine (branches or stems of plants) on a trellis; to trellis; also, to train (a tree or other plant) to grow against a wall; to espalier. Labels: obsolete, transitive 6. To intertwine branches or stems of plants of (a wood) to block a passage for defensive purposes. Labels: obsolete, transitive