English edit

 
Nectarines

Etymology edit

nectar +‎ -ine

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈnɛk.tə.ɹiːn/
  • (file)

Noun edit

nectarine (plural nectarines)

  1. A cultivar of the peach with smooth rather than fuzzy skin.
    • 1670, John Evelyn, Sylva, or, A Discourse of Forest-Trees to which is annexed Pomona, or, An appendix concerning Fruit-Trees in Relation to Cider, London: Jo. Martyn & Ja. Allestry, “Kalendarium Hortense,” p. 10,[1]
      Prune Fruit-trees, and Vines as yet; For now is your Season to bind, plash, naile, and dresse, without danger of Frost: This to be understood of the most tender and delicate Wall-fruit, not finished before; do this before the buds and bearers grow turgid; and yet in the Nectarine and like delicate Mural-fruit, the later your Pruning, the better, whatever has been, and still is, the contrary custom.
    • 1681, Andrew Marvell, “The Garden,” stanza 5, in Miscellaneous Poems, London: Nonesuch, 1923, pp. 49-50,[2]
      What wond’rous Life in this I lead!
      Ripe Apples drop about my head;
      The Luscious Clusters of the Vine
      Upon my Mouth do crush their Wine;
      The Nectaren, and curious Peach,
      Into my hands themselves do reach;
      Stumbling on Melons, as I pass,
      Insnar’d with Flow’rs, I fall on Grass.
    • 1724, Charles Johnson, “Of Captain Howel Davis, and His Crew”, in A General History of the Pyrates, [], 2nd edition, London: Printed for, and sold by T. Warner, [], →OCLC, page 199:
      Guava’s, a Fruit as large as a Pipin, with Seeds and Stones in it, of an uncouth aſtringing Taſt, tho’ never ſo much be ſaid in Commendation of it, at the West-Indies, it is common for Cræolians, (who has taſted both,) to give it a Preference to Peach or Nectarine, no amazing Thing when Men whose Taſts are ſo degenerated, as to prefer a Toad in a Shell, (as Ward calls Turtle,) to Venison []
    • 1742, Samuel Richardson, Pamela, London: S. Richardson, 4th edition, Volume 3, Letter 12, p. 53,[3]
      So that reading constantly, and thus using yourself to write, and enjoying besides the Benefit of a good Memory, every thing you heard or read, became your own; and not only so, but was improved by passing thro’ more salubrious Ducts and Vehicles; like some fine Fruit grafted upon a common Free-stock, whose more exuberant Juices serve to bring to quicker and greater Perfection the downy Peach, or the smooth Nectarine with its crimson Blush.
    • 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:
      When you see a dish of fruit at dessert, you sometimes set your affections upon one particular peach or nectarine, watch it with some anxiety as it comes round the table, and feel quite a sensible disappointment when it is taken by some one else.
  2. (obsolete) A nectar-like liquid medicine.
    • 1628 Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Henry Cripps, 3rd edition, Part 3, Section 2, Member 5, Subsection 3, p. 509,[4]
      He would have some discreet men to disswade them, after the fury of passion is a little spent, or by absence allaied; for it is intempestive at first, to give counsell, as it is, to comfort parents when their children are in that instant departed; to no purpose to prescribe Narcoticks, Cordialls, Nectarines, potions, []

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

Further reading edit

Adjective edit

nectarine (comparative more nectarine, superlative most nectarine)

  1. Nectarous; like nectar.
    • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost[5], Book 4, lines 329-332:
      [] to their supper-fruits they fell,
      Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs
      Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline
      On the soft downy bank damasked with flowers []

Anagrams edit

French edit

 
French Wikipedia has an article on:
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Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

nectarine f (plural nectarines)

  1. nectarine

See also edit

Further reading edit