cruet
(ˈkruːɪt)
Forms: 3–6 cruett(e, 4–6 cruete, crowet, -ett(e, 5 crewyt, krewette, 5–6 crwet(t, 5–7 crewett(e, 6 cruat, -ytte, crewat, crowat, crouette, 6–8 cruit, 7 creuett, 6–9 crewet, 3– cruet.
[ME. cruete, cruette, appears to repr. an OF. *cruete, dim. of OF. cruie, crue, pot, = Gascon cruga (cf. Pr. crugó), app. f. OLG. crûca, MLG. kruke f., cognate with OHG. kruog, Ger. krug m., pot, which appears to have entered the Romanic of Gaul in the two forms *crūca, *crūga, whence F. cruche, cruie respectively. An AF. cruet m. of date 1376 is cited in Godef.]
1. A small bottle or vial for liquids, etc.; now only applied to a small glass bottle with a stopper, to contain vinegar, oil, etc. for the table.
| 1382 Wyclif Mark vii. 4 Waischingis of cuppis and cruetis. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 131 A cruette of gold with bawme brennenge faste in hit. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 7 §7 Salsellers, goblettes, spones, cruettes or candelstikkes. 1611 Cotgr., Goutteron, a Violl, or Cruet wherein Oyle, or Vinegar is serued to the table. 1630 R. Brathwait Eng. Gentlem. (1641) 194 To set an houre-glasse beside us, and observe those precious graines..how swiftly they run thorow the cruet. 1713 Lond. Gaz. No. 5086/3 A Sett of Casters with Vinegar Crewets. 1865 M. E. Braddon Only a Clod v. 27 The landlord..came bustling in..with..knives and forks, and glasses, and cruets. |
2. Eccl. A small vessel to hold wine or water for use in the celebration of the Eucharist, or to hold holy water for other uses.
After 16th c. rare until the 19th c., in which the spelling crewet is sometimes used.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 228/318 Weued and chaliz and Cruettes þouruȝ-out cler cristal. 1395 E.E. Wills (1882) 5 Twey cruetis..twey siluer basyns for the auter. 1460–5 Churchw. Acc. St. Andrew's, East Cheap in Brit. Mag. XXXI. 394 For..a kay to the chyrch yard durr and for ij Crewettys. 1550 Bale Image both Ch. (1560) B ij, Miters, copes, crosses, cruettes, ceremonies. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 579 He bequeathed all his books, his two Chalices, his Crewetts, holy water stock [etc.]..to his private chappell in London. 1877 J. D. Chambers Div. Worship 259 Two Crewets, one containing the wine and the other water. 1885 Dixon Hist. Ch. Eng. III. 450 Cruets and chrismatories. |
3. Comb. cruet-stand, a stand or frame, commonly of silver, for holding cruets and castors at table; also formerly cruet-frame.
| 1716 Lond. Gaz. No. 5437/4 A Cruit Frame, 4 Salts. 1793 W. Roberts Looker-on No. 65 Aided by the delicious provocatives of the cruet-stand! 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xxxix, White table-cloth, and cruet-stand complete. |