winesop

plural winesops

1. A piece of bread soaked in wine; a small cake made with grapes or wine.

   Hence the proverb […] "to reduce one whose meal is a winesop to a dry crust."

   1877, Saturday review of politics, literature, science and art, volume 43, page 649

   3 more examples

   Beatriz, for all her seeming frailty, had borne the long strain better, and presently came, offering winesops, the recognised restorative; small pieces of fine white bread soaked in wine.

   1974, Norah Lofts, Crown of aloes

   His wife gave her a winesop to eat and after, undressing her, put her to bed; and they contrived that night to have her and her maid carried to Florence.

   circa 1982, John Payne, Decameron (translated from Giovanni Boccaccio's Italian)

   Winesops 1 cup butter 1 1.2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed 1 cup molasses […] 1 cup currants

   2006, Rae Katherine Eighmey, How creative cooks fed the soul and spirit of America's heartland, page 23

2. broadlyderogatoryfigurativelyA drunkard, a wino.

   "Aye, he was good at skulking around and acting like a winesop or an idiot."

   2003, Sagas of Conan, page 293

   2 more examples

   "I'm going to give you Mr. Whish — or the winesop that remains of him," continued Attwater.

   1913, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lloyd Osbourne, The ebb-tide: A trio and a quartette, page 214

   […] "we're being maneuvered into providing a gala State funeral for that reprobate winesop."

   2000, Stephen Lawhead, Avalon: The Return of King Arthur, page 61

   Synonyms: alcoholic