licour

Middle English

Alternative forms

• lycour, licowre, liquour, licur, lycur, lijkour, lykour, licor, lecour, liquore, lycowr

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French licour, from Latin liquor (“fluidity; a liquid”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liˈkuːr/, /ˈlikur/

Noun

licour (plural licours)

1. liquid (flowing substance)
2. juice, blood (or other natural liquid)
   • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 2, recto:

     Whan that Auerill w^t his shoures soote / The droghte of march hath ꝑced to the roote / And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour / Of which v̄tu engendred is the flour […]

     When that April, with its sweet showers / Has pierced March's drought to the root / And bathed every vein in fluid such that / with its power, the flower is made […]

3. A beverage or drink; a liquid for consumption.
4. (cooking) Liquid for boiling in.
5. (rare) spices, seasonings
6. (rare) fluidity, liquidity

Descendants

• English: liquor
• Scots: liquor

References

• “licǒur, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old French

Alternative forms

• licor, licur, liqueur, liquor, liquour, liquur

Etymology

From Latin liquor (“fluidity; a liquid”).

Noun

licour oblique singular, f (oblique plural licours, nominative singular licour, nominative plural licours)

1. liquid
2. alcoholic drink; liquor

Descendants

• French: liqueur
  • → English: liqueur
• → Middle English: licour
  • English: liquor

References

• liquur on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub