- Treacle mustard
- 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.
[1913 Webster]
We kill the viper, and make treacle of him. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
2. A sovereign remedy; a cure. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
Christ which is to every harm treacle. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
3. Molasses; sometimes, specifically, the molasses which drains from the sugar-refining molds, and which is also called {sugarhouse molasses}. [1913 Webster]
Note: In the United States molasses is the common name; in England, treacle. [1913 Webster]
4. A saccharine fluid, consisting of the inspissated juices or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the birch, sycamore, and the like. [1913 Webster]
{Treacle mustard} (Bot.), a name given to several species of the cruciferous genus {Erysimum}, especially the {Erysimum 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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.