Now rare. Forms: 5 colys, kolys, culys, colysshe, 5–6 colice, 5–7 coleys(e, culice, 6 colesse, collesse, -yse, culleis, -ace, -ys, -cooliz, 6–7 cullice, -ess(e, 6–8 cullise, 7 collice, cullisse, -ies, -asse, -aze, culisse, coolisse, coollis, 6– cullis. [a. OF. coleïs (13th c., later couleïs, coulis), subst. use of coleïs:—L. type *cōlātīcius, f. cōlāre to strain, flow through, glide, etc.]
A strong broth, made of meat, fowl, etc., boiled and strained; used especially as a nourishing food for sick persons. ‘Beef-tea’ is a well-known form.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum, 20. For a kolys þe brawne take of sothun henne or chekyne [etc.].
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 824. Colice of pike, shrympus or perche.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., IX. 228. If the pacient be weake … ye shall gyve hym the coleys of a yonge capon.
1584. Lyly, Campaspe, III. v. He that melteth in a consumption is to be recured by colices, not conceits.
1662. H. Stubbe, Ind. Nectar, vii. 165. The meat, out of which all the strength is Boil’d or Pressed in Jellies and Cullices.
1796. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, Pref. 1. Use for a cullis, a leg of veal and a ham.
1853. Soyer, Pantroph., 76. Take onions … thicken with cullis, oil, and wine.
† b. transf. and fig. (In quot. 1719 app. = a sound beating; cf. quot. 1625 and CULLIS v.).
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 356. Expecting thy Letter eyther as a Cullise to preserue, or as a sworde to destroy.
1608. Middleton, Fam. Love, III. ii. Get a cullis to your capacity, a restorative to your reason.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Nice Valour, III. i. He has beat me e’en to a Cullis.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, II. 112. A Cullise for the Back too.
