posset
UK /ˈpɒsɪt/ · US /ˈpɑsɪt/ noun, verb
Forms possets posseting posseted
- noun A beverage composed of hot milk curdled by some strong infusion, such as wine.
- noun A baby's vomit, comprising curdled milk.
- noun A pudding-like food composed of cream, sugar, and other flavorings, such as lemon.
- verb (obsolete) To curdle; to turn, as milk; to coagulate. “to posset the blood”
- verb To treat with possets; to pamper.
- verb (of a baby) To vomit up curdled milk.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English posset, possot, possate, poshet, posthot, of unclear origin. Perhaps from Welsh posel. A connection to Latin pōsca (medieval/dialectal poscada) has also been suggested.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A beverage composed of hot milk curdled by some strong infusion, as by wine, etc., --much in favor formerly. "I have drugged their posset." Shak.
- verb To curdle; to turn, as milk; to coagulate; as, to posset the blood. [Obs.] Shak.
- verb To treat with possets; to pamper. [R.] "She was cosseted and posseted." O. W. Holmes.
Etymology [W. posel curdled milk, posset.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “posset”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details