Burgundy

[ad. med.L. Burgundia, F. Bourgogne. (Swift rhymed it with Sunday.)]

  1.  The name of a kingdom, and afterwards a duchy of the Western Empire, subsequently giving its name to a province of France. Used attrib., as in Burgundy Wine.

1697.  W. Pope, Old Man’s Wish, v.

  2.  Hence ellipt. Wine made in Burgundy. Generally understood to apply to the red wines of that province, unless otherwise stated.

1672.  Wycherley, Love in Wood, I. ii. I hate his impertinent Chat more than he does the honest Burgundy.

1728.  Swift, Ladies at Sot’s H., Wks. 1755, IV. I. 92. At the Rose on Sunday, I’ll treat you with burgundy.

1797.  Holcroft, Stolberg’s Trav. (ed. 2), II. lxxxiv. 351. That kind of red burgundy which the French call petit Burgogne.

1848.  Thackeray, Van. Fair, ix. The cellars were filled with burgundy then.

  b.  attrib.

1672.  Wycherley, Love in Wood, V. ii. No Burgundy man or drunken scourer will reel my way.

  † 3.  A sort of head-dress for women; = BOURGOIGNE. Obs. (See bourgogne in Littré Supp.)

1700.  Farquhar, Const. Couple, II. I. i. Running to … the French milliner, for a new Burgundy for my Lady’s head.

  4.  Burgundy Hay, B. Trefoil [F. burgogne, foin de bourgogne]: applied by English writers to the plant Lucerne, Medicago sativa: but in French originally to Sainfoin, Onobrychis sativa. (The two were formerly confused: see SAINFOIN).

1616.  Surfl. & Markh., Countr. Farme, 698, in Britten and Holl. s.v., Burgundy Hay … Because the Burgundians have been alwaies very carefull for the sowing and tilling of this herbe.

1834.  Baxter, Phænog. Bot., Burgundy Trefoil.

  5.  Burgundy Pitch. [The substance is still chiefly obtained from the neighborhood of Neufchâtel, which was once Burgundian territory. So F. poix de Bourgogne.] The resinous juice of the Spruce-fir (Abies excelsa); sometimes called white pitch, though its color is reddish brown or whitish yellow. See also quot. 1875. Also attrib.

1678.  Salmon, Pharmacop. Londin., I. viii. 170. Burgundy Pitch … is the Rosin of the Pitch-Tree. Ibid., 225. Burgundy pitch plaster applied between the shoulders.

1769.  W. Buchan, Dom. Med., xxix. (1845), 227. Burgundy pitch may be spread thin upon a piece of soft leather.

1875.  Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 550. Burgundy pitch, when genuine, is made by melting frankincense … in water and straining it through a coarse cloth. The substance usually sold as Burgundy pitch is, however, common resin incorporated with water and coloured with palm-oil.