hordock

hordock

English

Alternative forms

• hoardock
• hardoke
• harlock

Noun

hordock (plural hordocks)

1. (nonce word, used only by Shakespeare) A plant, possibly burdock.
   • c. 1605, William Shakespeare, King Lear, Act IV, Scene 4, London: Nathaniel Butter, 1608,

     Alack tis he, why he was met euen now,

     As mad as the vent sea singing aloud,

     Crownd with ranke femiter and furrow weedes,

     With hor-docks, hemlocke, netles, cookow flowers,

     Darnell and all the idle weedes that grow,