Trea"cle (tr&emac;"k'l), n. [OE. triacle a sovereign remedy, theriac, OF. triacle, F. th'eriaque (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.
We kill the viper, and make treacle of him.
Jer. Taylor.
2.
A sovereign remedy; a cure.
[Obs.]
Christ which is to every harm treacle.
Chaucer
.
3.
Molasses; sometimes, specifically, the molasses which drains from the sugar-refining molds, and which is also called sugarhouse molasses.
⇒ In the United States molasses is the common name; in England, treacle.
4.
A saccharine fluid, consisting of the inspissated juices or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the birch, sycamore, and the like.
Treacle mustard Bot., a name given to several species of the cruciferous genus Erysimum, especially the E. 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.
© Webster 1913.