▪ I. aspic1
(ˈæspɪk)
Forms: 6 aspycke, 6–7 aspicke, aspike, 7 aspick, 7– aspic.
[a. F. aspic asp, a. Pr. aspic, unexplained derivative of L. aspid-em, nom. aspis: see asp2.]
1. By-form of asp2, used chiefly in poetry.
| 1530 Palsgr. 195/1 Aspycke sarpent, aspicq. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. ii. 354 This is an Aspickes traile. 1611 Florio Aspide [It.], an aspike or aspe. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. i. iv. 42 A little child should boldly put his finger in the cavern of an Aspick. 1713 Addison Cato iii. v, Why did I 'scape th'invenom'd Aspic's rage. 1830 Tennyson Dream Fair Women xl, Shewing the aspic's bite. |
b. attrib.
| 1742 C. Owen Serpents 61 The Aspick Poison, which throws Persons into a pleasant Sleep, in which they die. 1807 Lamb Let. ix, Breath..like distillations of aspic poison. |
c. fig.
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch. Hen. V, 237 Stung with the Aspicke of invadeing feare. a 1797 H. Walpole Mem. Geo. III (1845) I. xviii. 261 Lord Bute..there first learned what an aspic was lodged near his bosom. |
2. transf. ‘A piece of ordnance which carries a 12 pound shot. The piece itself weighs 4250 pounds.’ C. James Mil. Dict. 1816. (Perh. only Fr.)
▪ II. aspic2
(ˈæspɪk)
[a. Fr. aspic (in huile d' aspic vulgar form of huile de spic) for spic, ad. It. spigo the Great Lavender, orig. Spikenard, = OF. espic:—L. spīcus (in med.L.) Spikenard, collateral form of spīca spike.]
The Great Lavender or Spike (Lavandula Spica), a plant from which a volatile aromatic oil is obtained.
| 1604 E. G. tr. D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iv. xxix. 288 Oyle Of Aspicke, which the Physitians and Painters vse much, the one for plasters, the other to vernish their pictures. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Oil, Oil of aspic or spike. 1819 Rees Encycl. III, Aspic..grows in plenty in Languedoc. |
▪ III. aspic3
(ˈæspɪk)
Also 8 aspique.
[a. F. aspic. Littré suggests its derivation from aspic asp, because it is ‘froid comme un aspic,’ a proverbial phrase in Fr.]
A savoury meat jelly, composed of and containing meat, fish, game, hard-boiled eggs, etc. Also attrib. in aspic-jelly.
| 1789 Mrs. Piozzi France & It. I. 47 Cased in Chrystal like our aspiques. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lxii. (1866) 526 Died..of an aspic of plovers' eggs. 1870 Disraeli Lothair xxi. 89 He extracted a couple of fat little birds from their bed of aspic jelly. |