Forms: α. 8 terrene, terene, 8–9 terrine, 9 tereen; β. 8 turen(n)e, -ein, turrene, 8– tureen. [a. F. terrine a large circular flat-bottomed earthenware dish, as a milk-pan, in OF. therine (1412 in Godef., Compl.), fem. of OF. terrin of earth, earthen:—pop. L. *terrīn-us, f. terra earth. In English first spelt etymologically terrene, terrine, and later corrupted to turein, tureen, from phonetic equivalence of terr- and tur-, and then perh. conformed to the place-name Turin.] A deep earthenware or plated vessel (usually oval) with a lid, from which soup is served. Also a smaller vessel of similar shape for sauce or gravy.
α. 1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Terrine (Fr.), an Earthen Pan.
1708. W. King, Cookery, 298. In their gilt plate all delicates were seen And what was earth before became a rich terrene.
1745–6. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr. (1861), II. 416. Did I write you word we had got a new terene? The … chasing is mighty well done: it holds six quarts, and has a very light look.
1760. H. Walpole, Lett. to Montagu, cxx. The house is … loaded with terreens, philigree, figures, and every thing upon earth.
1779. Forrest, Voy. N. Guinea, 244. The contents of the small terrenes were put into eight large ones, consequently jumbled together; but, fish with fish, and fowl with fowl.
1865. Eliza Meteyard, J. Wedgwood, I. 227. Ordinary jugs, globular teapots, circular terrines, and other articles. [Note.] The old term … the one preferred and always used by Josiah Wedgwood.
β. 1752. G. White, Acc. Bk., in Selborne, etc. (1877), II. 323. A round China-turene.
1761. Ann. Reg., 242. First service,… turrenes, fish, venison, etc.
1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit. (ed. 7), I. i. 2. They have already made large Quantities of Tea-Cups, Saucers, Plates, Dishes, Tureins.
1771. Goldsm., Haunch of Venison, 82. At the bottom was tripe, in a swinging tureen.
1776. Pennsylvania Even. Post, 27 April, 212/1. Blue and white and enamelled sauce Turennes, 2 sizes.
1910. Civ. Serv. Supply Assoc. Catal., 1427. Dinner Services, 61 pieces,… 2 Sauce Tureens and Stands, 1 Soup Tureen and Stand.
Hence † Tureener, a dish of various meats, etc., baked in a closed pot or tureen: cf. HOT-POT 2; Tureenful, as much as a tureen contains.
1728. E. Smith, Compl. Housewife, 101. To make a Tureiner. Take a China Pot or Bowl, and fill it [with] … Beef steaks … Veal steaks … Forc’d meat … Chickens, Pigeons,… Rabbets…; Season … every Thing as you put it in…: Then put in a quart of Gravy,… and cover it close with a Lid of Puff-paste…. Eight hours will bake it.
1883. ‘Annie Thomas,’ Mod. Housewife, 58. The making of one tureenful of soup.
1895. Kipling, Wee Willie Winkie (1896), 3. Shovelling down his ice by tureenfuls.
