† piˈment Obs.
Also 3–5 (8) piement, 4 pimente, 4–6 pyement, 4–6 (8) pyment, 5–6 pymente.
[a. OF. piment, earlier piument (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.) = Pr. piment, pigment, Sp. pimiento:—L. pigmentum, orig. pigment, paint, also (scented) unguent; in med.L. scented or spiced confection, spiced drink (Du Cange). See also next.]
1. A drink composed of wine sweetened with honey and flavoured with spices.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 404 Loke hwu heo ȝulden him! uor piment of swete huni luue, eisil of sur nið. c 1300 Havelok 1728 Pyment to drinke, and god clare. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. met. v. 35 (Camb. MS.), They cowde make no pyment nor clarree. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 12 That on [tonne] is full of such piment Which passeth all entendement. ? c 1475 Sqr. Lowe Degre 760 Wyne of Greke, & muscadell, Both clare, pyment, and rochell. 1530 Palsgr. 254/1 Pyment, piment. 1725 C. W. Forbes Let. 6 Apr. in Burton Life, Drink pyment to your meat dashed with strong wine. 1824 Henderson in Blackw. Mag. XVI. 16 The varieties of piment most frequently mentioned are the Hippocras and Clarry. |
2. A scented or perfumed unguent.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 466/130 Min heued..with no-manere Oynement Ne smeordest, with none salue ne with no piement. a 1300 Cursor M. 3702 (Cott.) Þe odor o þi uestement It smelles als o piement. 1382 Wyclif Esther ii. 12 Sixe monethis..thei shulden vse maner pimentis and swote spice. ― Isa. lvii. 9 Thou..enournedest thee with kingus oynement, and multepliedest thi pymentus. |
3. = pimento 1, Cayenne pepper. (F. piment.)
| 1705 tr. Bosman's Guinea xvi. 305 The last sort of Pepper called here Piement, and in Europe Spanish Pepper, grows here in abundance. |