? Obs. Also con-. [a. F. confiture, ad. L. confectūra preparation (f. conficĕre) after F. confit: see COMFIT sb. and cf. CONFECTURE.]
† 1. A preparation of drugs. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 534. Ther is no creature That eten or dronken hath of this confiture [v.r. confecture] … That he ne shal his life anon forlete.
2. A preparation of preserved fruit or the like; ‘preserve,’ confection. arch. or Obs.
1558. Warde, trans. Alexis’ Secr. (1568), 64 b. Al these confytures may dure many yeares.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, III. xiv. 336. A confiture made of the sayde roote [Elecampane].
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 777. There be some Houses, wherein Confitures and Pies, will gather Mould more than in others.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Cholick, Give them Rhubarb in Powder, put into an Egg, or some Comfiture.
1843. Blackw. Mag., LIV. 526. The sugar of your comfitures is too chalky for our discriminating tooth.
† 3. The preserving (of fruit, etc.). Obs. rare.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 406. The Raisins called passæ … of their patience to indure their drying and confiture.
4. attrib. and Comb.
a. 1626. Bacon, New Atl. (1650), 31. A Confiture-House; where we make all Sweet-Meats, Drie and Moist.
1872. Daily News, 3 May, 6/1. Skill in comfiture making.
