Forms: 6 electuarye, -ie, (Sc. electuar), 8 electary, 4– electuary. See also LECTUARY. [ad. late L. ēlectuārium, ēlectārium (5th c.), perh. a corrupt derivative of the synonymous Gr. ἐκλεικτόν, f. ἐκλείχειν to lick out.]

1

  1.  A medicinal conserve or paste, consisting of a powder or other ingredient mixed with honey, preserve, or syrup of some kind.

2

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. xxxv. (1495), 250. The Etyk is holpe … by an electuary that hight Electuarium patris.

3

1527.  Andrew, trans. Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, A j. With waters dy[styl]lyd, all maner of … electuaryes be myxced.

4

1549.  Compl. Scot., xvii. (1872), 145. Spicis … for to mak exquisit electuars.

5

1636.  Featly, Clavis Myst., xii. 148. Many simples goe to the making of a soveraigne Electuary.

6

1758.  Brookes, Pract. Physic (ed. 3), II. 134. The antiscorbutic Electary … is very efficacious in this Disease.

7

1791.  Boswell, Johnson (1816), II. 372. Make them an electuary with honey and treacle.

8

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxvi. (1856), 326. Raw potato and saur-kraut, pounded with molasses into a damnable electuary.

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  b.  fig.

10

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 85. Electuaryes to preserue them from spirytuall diseases.

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1641.  Milton, Ch. Govt., II. (1851), 139. Some eye-brightning electuary of knowledge, and foresight.

12

1878.  Emerson, Sov. Ethics, Wks. (Bohn), III. 385. Innocence is a wonderful electuary for purging the eyes.

13

  ¶ 2.  ? Confused with electar, ELECTRE 1 and 2.

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1536.  Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. Introd. 52. Ane maner of electuar … hewit like gold, and sa attractive of nature, that it drawis stra.

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1638.  Penkethman, Artach., D. Now this weight serveth to weigh … Gold, Silver, Pearles, and other precious things, as Electuaries and Amber.

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