colt evil

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

colt evil (uncountable)

  1. (obsolete) A swelling in the genitals of horses.
    • 1722, William Gibson, chapter XLV, in The Farrier's New Guide, 3rd edition:
      The Colt-evil is a continued Stiffness in a Horse's Yard, and is so call'd, because it is a Disease incident to Colts, and is brought upon them by having full Liberty with Mares while they are not able to cover them []
    • 1838, R Bowers, A Modern and Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Horses:
      The Colt Evil chiefly affects young stoned colts, which have full liberty with mares before they are able to cover them.
  2. (obsolete, by extension) Priapism.
    • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: [], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition III, section 2, member 2, subsection i:
      young folks most apt to love, and by their good wills, saith Lucian, ‘would have a bout with every one they see’: the colt's evil is common to all complexions.