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▪ I. omelet, omelette, n.|ˈɒmlɪt, ˈɒməlɪt| Also 7 aumelet, -ette, ammulet, omlet, emlett, 7–8 amulet, aumulet, 8 amlet, aumlet. [a. F. omelette, in 16th c. homelaicte (Rabel.), aumelete (O. De Serres), for earlier amelette (15th c. in Littré, also still in Fr. dial.), app. by metathesis from alemette, a synonym, by substitution of suffix, of alemelle, alumelle, lit. thin plate, ‘the blade of a sword or knife’ (Cotgr.); ‘that is, the omelet was named from its thin flat shape’ (Skeat). Menagier, 14th c., has ‘alumelle (v.r. alumette) frite au sucre’. Godefroy exemplifies the successive forms alumette, amelette, omelette, œufmolette, aumelette. The forms in am- and aum- were also Eng. in 17–18th c. OF. alemelle appears to have itself arisen from lamelle, lemelle, ad. L. lamella dim. of lamina, by an erroneous analysis of lalemelle, i.e. la lemelle, as l'alemelle: cf. jade n.2] a. A dish mainly consisting of eggs whipped up, seasoned, and fried; often varied by the addition of other ingredients, as cheese, apples, parsley, chopped ham, fish, mushrooms, etc.
1611Cotgr., Haumelette, an Omelet, or Pancake of egges. 1655tr. Com. Hist. Francion i–iii. 26, I was commanded to make an aumelet, it being Friday. 1657R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 36 An Amulet of eggs. 1681W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 185 An Aumulet of Eggs. 1698Sir H. Sloane in Phil. Trans. XX. 70 A Fresh Egg in Fashion of an Ammulet. 1699Evelyn Acetaria (1729) 125 In Omlets, made up with Cream, fried in Sweet Butter. 1748Mrs. S. Harrison House-kpr.'s Pocket-Book ii. (ed. 4) 6 Eggs dress'd, in several sorts of Amlets. 1750E. Smith Compl. Housew. (ed. 14) 50 An Amulet of Eggs the savoury way. 1796H. Glasse Cookery v. 83 Make an Aumlet of yolks of eggs. 1806A. Hunter Culina (ed. 3) 203 The omelette is an extemporaneous dish that admits of great variation in its composition. 1860Hawthorne Marb. Faun xxv. (1883) 257 Old Stella..quickly followed it with a savory omelet. 1873E. Smith Foods 96 In preparing omelettes, the albumen is more consolidated. b. Proverb. ‘Omelets cannot be made without breaking eggs’, transl. the French, On ne saurait faire une omelette sans casser des œufs, said in reference to operations which cannot be accomplished without the sacrifice of something in itself valuable.
1859Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. II. xc. 65 We are walking upon eggs, and whether we tread East or tread West, the omelet will not be made without the breaking of some. 1898Times 10 Jan. 13/3 Omelettes cannot be made without breaking eggs, and war cannot be waged without losses of this kind occurring. c. attrib., as omelette (frying)-pan.
1846Jewish Manual, or Pract. Information Jewish & Mod. Cookery v. 99 A small omelette frying-pan is necessary for cooking it [sc. the omelette] well. 1879A. D. Whitney Just How 292 Finish beating and mixing the omelette, setting on the omelette-pan when almost ready. 1948Good Housek. Cookery Bk. ii. 369 To season a new omelet pan. Heat the pan slowly, then melt a knob of butter in it and rub it well in with a piece of soft paper. 1977T. Heald Just Desserts vii. 174 Gabrielle won't go anywhere without her favourite omelette pan. d. omelette (aux) fines herbes, a savoury omelette flavoured with herbs; omelette soufflée, an omelette made by folding the separately beaten egg whites into the mixture.
1845E. Acton Mod. Cookery xix. 489 Seasoned with minced herbs,..[it] is then called an ‘Omlette aux fines herbes’. 1846[see fines herbes]. 1928A. Christie Mystery of Blue Train xix. 150 The Comte de la Roche had just finished déjeuner, consisting of an omelette fines herbes. 1977D. Ramsay You can't call it Murder ii. 108 During lunch..they disposed of..the most subtle of omelettes fines herbes.
1845E. Acton Mod. Cookery xix. 491 (heading) An omlette soufflée. 1930W. S. Maugham Cakes & Ale xii. 145 No one could make a better omelette soufflée than she. 1968Radio Times 28 Nov. 25/1 Colourful Cookery..Puffed Onion Tart..Omelette Soufflée. 1975Hume & Downes Cordon Bleu Desserts ii. 64 Omelet Soufflé with Strawberries... Omelet Soufflé ‘en Surprise’. ▪ II. ˈomelet, ˈomelette, v. [f. the n.] trans. To make into an omelet. Also transf.
1872E. Eggleston End of World xxiii. 155 The eggs..were not poached, they were not scrambled, they were not omeletted. 1908Westm. Gaz. 6 Oct. 3/1 (caption), I don't want to be omeletted! |