venice treacle

2 definitions found

venice treacle - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Theriac \The"ri*ac\, Theriaca \The*ri"a*ca\, n. [L. theriaca an
     antidote against the bite of serpents, Gr. ?: cf. F.
     th['e]riaque. See Treacle.]
     1. (Old Med.) An ancient composition esteemed efficacious
        against the effects of poison; especially, a certain
        compound of sixty-four drugs, prepared, pulverized, and
        reduced by means of honey to an electuary; -- called also
        theriaca Andromachi, and Venice treacle.
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     2. Treacle; molasses. --British Pharm.
        [1913 Webster] Theriac

  Treacle \Trea"cle\ (tr[=e]"k'l), n. [OE. triacle a sovereign
     remedy, theriac, OF. triacle, F. th['e]riaque (cf. Pr.
     triacla, tiriaca, Sp. & It. triaca, teriaca), L. theriaca an
     antidote against the bite of poisonous animals, Gr. ?, fr. ?
     of wild or venomous beasts, fr. qhri`on a beast, a wild
     beast, dim. of qh`r a beast. Cf. Theriac.]
     1. (Old Med.) A remedy against poison. See Theriac, 1.
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              We kill the viper, and make treacle of him. --Jer.
                                                    Taylor.
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     2. A sovereign remedy; a cure. [Obs.]
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              Christ which is to every harm treacle. --Chaucer.
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     3. Molasses; sometimes, specifically, the molasses which
        drains from the sugar-refining molds, and which is also
        called sugarhouse molasses.
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     Note: In the United States molasses is the common name; in
           England, treacle.
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     4. A saccharine fluid, consisting of the inspissated juices
        or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the
        birch, sycamore, and the like.
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     Treacle mustard (Bot.), a name given to several species of
        the cruciferous genus Erysimum, especially the Erysimum  cheiranthoides
        , which was formerly used as an ingredient
        in Venice treacle, or theriac.
  
     Treacle water, a compound cordial prepared in different
        ways from a variety of ingredients, as hartshorn, roots of
        various plants, flowers, juices of plants, wines, etc.,
        distilled or digested with Venice treacle. It was formerly
        regarded as a medicine of great virtue. --Nares.
  
     Venice treacle. (Old Med.) Same as Theriac, 1.
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