Definition

Noun: 1. A common European violet, also known as the wild pansy or heartsease: A flowering plant (Viola tricolor) known for its small, tri-colored flowers (often purple, yellow, and white). It is the wild ancestor of many cultivated garden pansies. 2. A plant with literary and folkloric associations: In literature, notably in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the juice of this flower is said to have magical properties that cause a person to fall in love with the first creature they see upon waking.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The meadow was dotted with the delicate purple and yellow blooms of love-in-idleness.
  • Botanists study love-in-idleness to understand the origins of modern pansies.
  • In the play, Oberon sends Puck to fetch the "little western flower" known as love-in-idleness.

Advanced Usage

• Literary and symbolic use: The term is primarily used in poetic, literary, or historical contexts, often directly referencing its Shakespearean role as a magical love potion.
  • The playwright used the symbol of love-in-idleness to represent the irrational and whimsical nature of love.

Variants and Related Words

• Wild Pansy (n): The most common modern name for the same plant ().
• Heartsease (n): Another traditional name for the same flower, often used in folk medicine.
• Johnny-jump-up (n): A common name for small, wild violets.
• Viola tricolor (n): The formal botanical Latin name for the species.

Synonyms

• Wild pansy
• Heartsease
• Johnny-jump-up

Related Phrases & Idioms

• "Juice of love-in-idleness": A direct literary reference to the love potion in Shakespeare's .
  • The plot hinges on the mischievous application of the juice of love-in-idleness.

Noun

1. a common and long cultivated European herb from which most common garden pansies are derived