From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Treacle \Trea"cle\ (tr[=e]"k'l), n. [OE. triacle a sovereign
remedy, theriac, OF. triacle, F. th['e]riaque (cf. Pr.
triacla, tiriaca, Sp. & It. triaca, teriaca), L. theriaca an
antidote against the bite of poisonous animals, Gr. ?, fr. ?
of wild or venomous beasts, fr. qhri`on a beast, a wild
beast, dim. of qh`r a beast. Cf. {Theriac}.]
1. (Old Med.) A remedy against poison. See {Theriac}, 1.
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We kill the viper, and make treacle of him. --Jer.
Taylor.
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2. A sovereign remedy; a cure. [Obs.]
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Christ which is to every harm treacle. --Chaucer.
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3. Molasses; sometimes, specifically, the molasses which
drains from the sugar-refining molds, and which is also
called {sugarhouse molasses}.
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Note: In the United States molasses is the common name; in
England, treacle.
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4. A saccharine fluid, consisting of the inspissated juices
or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the
birch, sycamore, and the like.
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{Treacle mustard} (Bot.), a name given to several species of
the cruciferous genus {Erysimum}, especially the {Erysimum
cheiranthoides}, which was formerly used as an ingredient
in Venice treacle, or theriac.
{Treacle water}, a compound cordial prepared in different
ways from a variety of ingredients, as hartshorn, roots of
various plants, flowers, juices of plants, wines, etc.,
distilled or digested with Venice treacle. It was formerly
regarded as a medicine of great virtue. --Nares.
{Venice treacle}. (Old Med.) Same as {Theriac}, 1.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
treacle
n 1: a pale cane syrup [syn: {treacle}, {golden syrup}]
2: writing or music that is excessively sweet and sentimental
[syn: {treacle}, {mush}, {slop}, {glop}]
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