comfit

plural comfits

1. A confection consisting of a nut, seed or fruit coated with sugar.

   Heart! you swear like a comfit-maker's wife.

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   2 more examples

   "Why, what are they?" she asked, looking at him askance. ¶ "Hashish; did you never hear of it?" ¶ "Oh, yes; it's that Indian stuff which brings one fantastic visions, isn't it? I've always wanted to see and taste it, and now I will," cried Belle, nibbling at one of the bean-shaped comfits with its green heart.

   1869, Louisa May Alcott, Perilous Play

   But since I ate your present of comfits—and they were admirable comfits, and I ate them with speed—my heart is changed and inclined toward you, I know not why or how, except it be through magic.

   1922, James Elroy Flecker, The Story of Hassan of Baghdad and How he Came to Make the Golden Journey to Samarkand, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, act I, page 17

present singular third person comfits · participle present comfiting · participle past comfited · past comfited

1. obsoletetransitiveTo make into a dry sugared confection.

   17th c, Abraham Cowley, The First Nemeæan Ode of Pindar: The Muse, 1795, Robert Anderson (editor), The Works of the British Poets, Volume 5, page 302, The fruit which does ſo quickly waſte, // Men ſcarce can ſee it, much leſs taſte, // Thou comfiteſt in ſweets to make it laſt.

plural comfits

1. AustraliaA computerised image of a suspect produced for the police force.

   A black and white comfit of a man with a chin shaped like a spade, doorstop for a nose..

   2023, Trent Dalton, Lola in the Mirror