Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRE-MORSE, a. [premors'; L. præmordeo, præmorsus; præ and mordeo, to gnaw.]

Bitten off. Premorse roots, in botany, are such as are not tapering, but blunt at the end, as if bitten off short. Premorse leaves, are such as end very obtusely with unequal notches. – Martyn.