▪ I. compote
(ˈkɒmpəʊt)
Also 8– compôte, 9 compot.
[a. F. compote:—OF. composte:—L. composta, composita, from compositus pa. pple.: see composite, compost. Analogous to ns. in -ata, -ade, -ee.]
1. a. Fruit preserved in syrup.
| 1693 Evelyn De La Quint. Compl. Gard. I. 91 marg., Compote, fruit stew'd in Sugar, after a manner peculiar to the French. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. I. 3 L ij/1 Cherries..put into Compotes, half Sugar and Conserves. 1883 M. E. Braddon Gold. Calf xi. 139 He eats too many compots. |
b. A dish consisting of fruit salad or stewed fruit, often in or with syrup.
| 1845 E. Acton Mod. Cookery xxv. 530 Compôte of oranges (a Hebrew dish). 1861 Mrs. Beeton Bk. Househ. Managem. §1541 Take out the lemon peel, pour the syrup over the figs, and the compôte, when cold, will be ready for table. 1925 F. B. Jack Gd. Housek. Cook. Bk. 193 If the compote is not being used for children a little red wine may be added to the syrup when stewing the pears. |
‖ 2. A manner of preparing pigeons. [Fr.]
| 1747 H. Glasse Art of Cookery 45 Pigeons in Compôte with white Sauce. 1769 Mrs. Raffald Eng. Housekpr. (1778) 129 Pigeons compote. Take six young Pigeons and skewer them..put forcemeat into the craws..fry them brown, etc. 1864 G. A. Sala Quite Alone I. ii. 32 Harry's a very good fellow, and has plenty of feathers ready to be plucked, before he is fit to be made into a compote de pigeons. |
3. = comport n.2
| a 1904 in A. Hayden Chats Eng. China 160 Dessert service..consisting of one tall compôte, seven oval dishes [etc.]. 1908 A. Bennett Old Wives' Tale iv. i. 425 The large ‘compote’ (as it was called in his trade) which marked the centre of the table, was the production of his firm. 1926 Tribune (Chicago) 11 June, Compotes... These may also be used as mayonnaise or bonbon dishes. |
▪ II. compote
see also compot.