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Treacle - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Treacle : (noun)
1: a pale cane syrup [syn: golden syrup]
2: an expression that is excessively sweet and sentimental
[syn: mush]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Treacle : \Trea"cle\ (tr[=e]"k'l), n. [OE. triacle a sovereign
remedy, theriac, OF. triacle, F. th['e]riaque (cf. Pr.
triacla, tiriaca, Sp. & It. triaca, teriaca), L. theriaca an
antidote against the bite of poisonous animals, Gr. ?, fr. ?
of wild or venomous beasts, fr. qhri`on a beast, a wild
beast, dim. of qh`r a beast. Cf. Theriac.]
1. (Old Med.) A remedy against poison. See Theriac, 1.
We kill the viper, and make treacle of him. --Jer.
Taylor.
2. A sovereign remedy; a cure. [Obs.]
Christ which is to every harm treacle. --Chaucer.
3. Molasses; sometimes, specifically, the molasses which
drains from the sugar-refining molds, and which is also
called sugarhouse molasses.
Note: In the United States molasses is the common name; in
England, treacle.
4. A saccharine fluid, consisting of the inspissated juices
or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the
birch, sycamore, and the like.
Treacle mustard (Bot.), a name given to several species of
the cruciferous genus Erysimum, especially the E.
cheiranthoides, which was formerly used as an ingredient
in Venice treacle, or theriac.
Treacle water, a compound cordial prepared in different
ways from a variety of ingredients, as hartshorn, roots of
various plants, flowers, juices of plants, wines, etc.,
distilled or digested with Venice treacle. It was formerly
regarded as a medicine of great virtue. --Nares.
Venice treacle. (Old Med.) Same as Theriac, 1.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Treacle : Treacle: A medicinal compound once in wide use as an remedy against venomous bites in particular and against poisons in general. It also came to be considered a "cure" for cancer.
The word "treacle" descends from the Greek "theriakos" (of a wild animal) and "therion" (a wild animal). Because wild animals may bite, these words gave rise to "theriake" meaning "antidote against
a poisonous bite." The Romans borrowed "theriake" as "theriaca" and the word eventually entered Middle French and, in time, Middle English as "triacle."
Treacle today also refers to molasses or a blend thereof with sugar. By extension, treacle is figuratively something very sweet, too sentimental, cloying.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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