Forms: 3–6 cruett(e, 4–6 cruete, crowet, -ett(e, 5 crewyt, krewette, 5–6 crwet(t, 5–7 crewett(e, 6 cruat, -ytte, crewat, crowat, crouette, 6–8 cruit, 7 creuett, 6–9 crewet, 3– cruet. [ME. cruete, cruette, appears to repr. an OF. *cruete, dim. of OF. cruie, crue, pot, = Gascon cruga (cf. Pr. crugó), app. f. OLG. crûca, MLG. kruke f., cognate with OHG. kruog, Ger. krug m., pot, which appears to have entered the Romanic of Gaul in the two forms *crūca, *crūga, whence F. cruche, cruie respectively. An AF. cruet m. of date 1376 is cited in Godef.]
1. A small bottle or vial for liquids, etc.; now only applied to a small glass bottle with a stopper, to contain vinegar, oil, etc., for the table.
1382. Wyclif, Mark vii. 4. Waischingis of cuppis and cruetis.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), V. 131. A cruette of gold with bawme brennenge faste in hit.
1512. Act 4 Hen. VIII., c. 7 § 7. Salsellers, goblettes, spones, cruettes or candelstikkes.
1611. Cotgr., Goutteron, a Violl, or Cruet wherein Oyle, or Vinegar is serued to the table.
1630. Brathwait, Eng. Gentlem. (1641), 193–4. To set an houre-glasse beside us, and observe those precious graines (the minute treasures of time) how swiftly they run thorow the Cruet.
1713. Lond. Gaz., No. 5086/3. A Sett of Casters with Vinegar Crewets.
1865. Miss Braddon, Only a Clod, I. v. 67. The landlord of the Crown came bustling in presently with a wooden tray of knives and forks, and glasses and cruets.
2. Eccl. A small vessel to hold wine or water for use in the celebration of the Eucharist, or to hold holy water for other uses.
After 16th c. rare until the 19th c., in which the spelling crewet is sometimes used.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 228/318. Weued and chaliz and Cruettes þoruȝ-out cler cristal.
1395. E. E. Wills (1882), 5. Twey cruetis … twey siluer basyns for the auter.
1460–5. Churchw. Acc. St. Andrew’s, East Cheap, in Brit. Mag., XXXI. 395. For a kay to the chyrch yard durr and for ij Crewettys.
1550. Bale, Image Both Ch. (1560), B ij. Miters, copes, crosses, cruettes, ceremonies.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., I. 579. He bequeathed all his books, his two Chalices, his Crewetts, holy water stock [etc.] … to his private chappell in London.
1877. J. D. Chambers, Div. Worship, 259. Two Crewets, one containing the wine and the other water.
1885. R. W. Dixon, Hist. Ch. Eng., III. 450. Cruets and chrismatories: all rolled together to the mint.
3. Comb. Cruet-stand, a stand or frame, commonly of silver, for holding cruets and castors at table; also formerly cruet-frame.
1716. Lond. Gaz., No. 5437/4. A Cruit Frame, 4 Salts.
1793. W. Roberts, Looker-on, No. 65. Aided by the delicious provocatives of the cruet-stand!
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxix. White table-cloth, and cruet-stand complete.
