Sops-in-wine

Also 8 sopsy-wine, 9 sops of wine. [See SOP sb.¹ 1 c. Cf. F. soupe en vin, a reddish color; † the plant lucerne (Cotgr.).]

  † 1.  The clove-pink or gillyflower. Obs.

1573.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 96. Herbes, branches, and flowers for windowes and pots…. Sops in wine.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 14. With Hawthorne buds, and swete Eglantine, And girlonds of roses and Sopps in wine.

1594.  Barnfield, Affect. Sheph. (Arb.), 10. The Rose, and speckled flowre cald Sops in wine.

1605.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iii. I. Vocation, 18. Som July-flowr, or som sweet Sops-in-wine.

1625.  B. Jonson, Pan’s Anniv., 29, Wks. 1692, 642/2. Bring … Pinks, Goulands, King-Cups, and sweet Sops-in-wine.

  2.  A variety of apple.

1764.  Museum Rust., II. x. 37. An apple of very deep red, by some called sopsy-wine, quasi sopped in wine.

1860.  R. Hogg, Fruit Manual, 25. Sops in Wine…. Skin crimson in the shade, stained and striped with purplish crimson next the sun.

1879.  J. Burroughs, Locusts & Wild Honey, 11. Bees … will suck themselves tipsy upon varieties like the sops-of-wine.