Forms: α. 4–6 syrope, 4–7 (9 arch.) syrop, (5 cyryppe, 5–7 syr-, sir-, 6–7 syrr-, sirr-, 5 -ip(pe, -yp(pe, -ipe, -epe, 5–7 -op(pe, -ope, -up(pe, -upe), 5– (now U.S.) sirup, 6– syrup. β. 4 surrip, surype, 5 surripe, 6 -op, 7 -ope. γ. 5 serop, -ep, 6 -oppe, serrop. δ. 5 soryp, -ippe, 6 -yppe. [a. OF. sirop, cyrop, serop (from 13th cent.), mod.F. sirop = It. siroppo, sciroppo, med.L. siropus, sirupus, surupus, whence MLG. sirup, MDu. syro(o)p, Du. siroop, MHG. sirop, -up, G., Sw., Da. sirup; related to the southwestern Romanic forms (with or without Arabic article prefixed) Pr. eisarop, isarop (cf. MF. ysserop, essyrot), Cat. aixarop, Sp. jarope medicinal potion, bitter draught, jarabe, † ajarabe syrup, Pg. xarope, † enxarope potion, syrup; all ultimately from Arab. sharāb wine or other beverage, syrup, shurb drink: see SHRAB, SHRUB sb.2, SHERBET.)
1. A thick sweet liquid; esp. one consisting of a concentrated solution of sugar in water (or other medium, e.g., the juices of fruits).
a. Such a liquid medicated, or used as a vehicle for medicines.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xxi. (Bodl. MS.), lf. 43/2. Some drinke is medicinable [as] surypes [ed. 1495 cyryppes], oximel [etc.]. Ibid., XVII. xii. 193 b/1. Sirop ymade of wormode helpeþ the lyuoure.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2558. My-self with a serop [Dubl. MS. Syrope] sall saue ȝow belyue.
a. 1400–50. Stockholm Med. MS., 10. For to makyn surripe þat is stryctyf.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 76. Ȝeue him … Julep—þat is a sirup maad oonly of water & of sugre.
c. 1450. Lydg. & Burgh, Secrees, 1990. Sorippys bittyr be profitable to the.
1450–80. trans. Secreta Secret., 33. It is holsome to take sowre Syrepe fastyng for flewme.
1570. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 444/1. Physicians…, when they wil giue a sicke man some drinke,… will sweeten it, bycause the medicine of it selfe is vnpleasant, and therefore they mixe some sugar or syrrop with it.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 331. Not Poppy, nor Mandragora, Nor all the drowsie Syrrups of the world.
1716. Poor Robin, Aug. B 4. Patience is as good a Medicine to cure a waspish Woman of Sullenness, as an Ants Egg in Syrup for him that is troubled with the Sciatica.
1811. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 680. Syrups … are saturated solutions of sugar in water, either simple, or united with some vegetable principle, with the view either to colour, flavour, or medicinal virtue.
1875. H. C. Wood, Therap. (1879), 18. Syrups are sugary liquids, the menstruum or basis of which is water, with, in some cases, vinegar or alcohol.
b. As used in cookery, confectionery, etc., as a sweetener, preservative, or article of food; also gen. (often in reference to its thick or viscid consistence).
1392–3. Earl Derby’s Exp. (Camden), 228. Pro sugro et surrip et pro j pot de sitronade, iij duc.
c. 1430. Two Cookery-bks., 7. Wardonys in syryp. Ibid., 11. Ley it on a dysshe, an caste þe syrip þer-on. Ibid. (c. 1450), 87. Peris in Syrippe.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. Prol. 145. Hailsum of smell as ony spicery…. Seroppis, sewane, sugour, and synamome.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XX. xix. II. 69. Seeth it a second time with Honie up to the height or consistence of a Syrrup.
1617. Middleton, Witch, I. i. Banqueting stuff, as suckets, jellies, sirups.
1697. Dampier, Voy. round World (1699), 223. Small black Seeds, mixt with a certain red Pulp like thick Syrup.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 333. Add four pounds of treble refined sugar, boil it to a thin syrup.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 435. Distil off a part of the acid, till what remains in the retort has the consistence of sirup.
1820. Keats, Eve St. Agnes, xxx. Lucent syrops, tinct with cinnamon.
1837. M. Donovan, Dom. Econ., II. 229. Molasses … is the syrup which remains after all the sugar bas been crystallised from it.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org. (1862), ii. § 1. 75. Sugar is largely used as an antiseptic, in syrups and preserves.
c. spec. (a) = MOLASSES 1. local (U.S., etc.). (b) In sugar-manufacture, applied to various stages of the liquid.
c. 1553. in Hakluyt, Voy. (1599), II. II. 8. Malassos or sugar Syrope.
1699. Laws Nevis, xxviii. § 3 (1740), 22. Many Persons … buy Syrups, Sugar, and Melasses, of Negroes who steal the same.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Sugar, There are three Kinds of Syrops that run from Sugar. Ibid. Sugars of fine Syrops.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, etc., 1204. Syrup intended for forming clayed sugar must be somewhat more concentrated in the teache.
1860. [see 2].
1889. in Opelousas (LA) Democrat, 2 Feb., 2/3. Outside of Louisiana they usually call syrup molasses.
d. transf. A liquid of syrupy consistence.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 24. It [sc. lactic acid] thickens to a syrup.
2. With qualifying words, indicating the source, or the flavoring or medicinal ingredient, as syrup of almonds, s. of diacodium, s. of poppies, s. of rhubarb, s. of roses, s. of squills, s. of vinegar, s. of violets, etc.; † syrup of soot, humorously for coffee; syrup of sugar, molasses (cf. 1 c). Also golden syrup, syrup of a bright golden-yellow color, drained off in the process of obtaining refined crystallized sugar; green syrup (see GREEN a. 12).
c. 1400. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 83. If he haue þrist, drynke he a syrupe of roses.
a. 1400–50. Stockholm Med. MS., 11. For to makyn surripe of violet; it. of wormwode.
1577. B. Googe, trans. Heresbach’s Husb. (1586), 147. Some turne it [sc. milk] with … syrope of Vinegar.
1663. Cup of Coffee (in D’Israeli, Cur. Lit. (1866), 296/2). A loathsome potion,… Syrop of soot, or essence of old shoes.
1715. F. Slare, Vindic. Sugars, 15. Some of the most pleasant Fruits are kept in the Syrup of Sugar … the Revolution of a whole Year.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., There are various Kinds of Syrops, denominated from the various Fruits, &c. they are extracted from; as Syrop of Violets, of Elder, or Wormwood, of Poppies, &c.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, I. i. 18. Take … 1 Ounce of Syrup of Diacodium.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med., xl. (1790), 409. Such things as promote expectoration … as the syrup of squills.
1848. Dunglison, Med. Lex. (ed. 7), s.v., Syrups … are chiefly used to render medicines palatable…. S. of Almonds … s of Buckthorn … s. of Garlic … s. of Rhubarb [etc.].
1860. Ure’s Dict. Arts, etc., III. 823. Crushed sugar … The concentration resembles that of loaf sugar … The first crystallisation is called ‘crushed,’ and the second ‘pieces,’ the drainage from which goes by the name of ‘syrup.’ When this syrup is diluted, filtered through animal charcoal, and concentrated, it is called ‘golden syrup.’
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., III. 696. Sugar … in the form of honey, golden syrup, or still better the old fashioned black treacle, tends to act as a laxative.
1902. Maple syrup [see TREACLE sb. 4].
1907. Verney Mem., I. 9. The fruit syrups, raspberry vinegar, home-made wines … were important drinks when tea, coffee and chocolate were unknown.
3. fig.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel., xxix. (1535), 48 b. Lyke maner they of clere vnderstandynge haue nede … to be heled with other syropes than they of grosse vnderstandyng.
1547–64. Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. (Palfr.), 86. Vertue … is … a sirrup that forthwith healeth.
1581. Pettie, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., III. (1586), 145. Riches … can hardly last, without they be conserued with the sweete sirrope of wisedome.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 18. Their rellish is altered so far with the sirope of selfe loue, that Choller is called Zeale, and Melancholy Mortification.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., II. ii. Why, therein lies the sirrup of the iest.
1600. S. Nicholson, Acolastus (1876), 55. O lend me thy insinuating power, Words steep’d in syrop of Ambrosia.
1679. Alsop, Melius Inq., II. iv. 268. They understood nothing of the Modern Curious Arts of Conserving Candying and Preserving Religion in Ceremonious Syrups; and yet Religion kept sweet and Good.
1890. Spectator, 1 Feb., 170/1. Mr. Gurney’s perpetual sweetness is cloying. Spiritual life is not all syrup, and Mr. Gurney’s poems are almost all of them syrup.
4. attrib. and Comb.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl. Supp., s.v., The business of syrup-making.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2191/2. Earthen sirup-jars. Ibid., Sirup-stand, an attachment to a soda-water apparatus, to supply the tumblers with sirups. Ibid. (1884), Suppl., 818/2. The … sirup gage … is a device … for delivering a fixed quantity of sirup and carbonade into bottles at the bottling machine.
