Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Treacle
Trea′cle
(trē′k’l)
, Noun.
[OE.
triacle
a sovereign remedy, theriac, OF. triacle
, F. thériaque
(cf. Pr. triacla
, tiriaca
, Sp. & It. triaca
, teriaca
), L. theriaca
an antidote against the bite of poisonous animals, Gr. [GREEK], fr. [GREEK] of wild or venomous beasts, fr. θηρίον
a beast, a wild beast, dim. of θήρ
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
. ☞ 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 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.Webster 1828 Edition
Treacle
TRE'ACLE
,Noun.
1.
The spume of sugar in sugar refineries. Treacle is obtained in refining sugar; molasses is the drainings of crude sugar. Treacle however is often used for molasses.2.
A saccharine fluid, consisting of the inspissated juices or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the birch, sycamore, &c.3.
A medicinal compound of various ingredients. [See Theriaca.]