‖ posca Obs. exc. Hist.
(ˈpɒskə)
Also 7 pusca.
[L. (Plaut.), an acidulous drink of vinegar and water, lit. drink, f. root po-, Gr. πο- (ποτ-), to drink: cf. ēsca food; so It. posca, in same sense.]
A mixture of vinegar and water; also, weak wine diluted with water or with vinegar-water.
| 1541 Copland Galyen's Terap. 2 A iv b, Yf ye must wasshe the sore, take wyne or posca, that is to saye oxycraton, or the decoction of some sharpe herbe. 1640 Parkinson Theat. Bot. 240 The kernells of the nuts bruised and drunke with Posca possett (that is water and vinegar mingled together). 1706 Phillips, Posca (Lat.), a..Drink made of Vinegar and Water; also Wine diluted or mingled with Water in the Press. 1905 D. Smith Days His Flesh 497 They had with them a beaker of their posca or vinegar water. |