aniseedn.
/ˈanᵻsiːd/, U.S. /ˈænəˌsid/α. late Middle English agnes sede, late Middle English aneys seede, late Middle English annys sede, 1500s annes sede, 1500s annes seed, 1500s annise seede, 1500s– anise seed Brit. /ˈanɪs siːd/, U.S. /ˈænəs ˌsid/, 1600s anniz seid (Scottish), 1600s–1700s annis-seed.
β. 1500s annycede, 1500s–1600s annyseed, 1500s–1700s anniseed, 1500s– aniseed.
1. A fruit of the plant anise, Pimpinella anisum, which has a sweet flavour similar to that of liquorice or fennel and is used medicinally and to flavour food and drinks; these fruits collectively. The fruit of anise is a small oblong schizocarp, often regarded as a seed.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > medicinal and culinary plants > medicinal and culinary plant or part of plant > [noun] > aniseed
anisec1325
aniseeda1398
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > preparations treating or preventing specific ailments > [noun] > for flatulence > plant-derived
aniseeda1398
spignelc1503
dillwater1858
α.
β. ?1586 I. W. Copie Let. Learned Physician to Friend sig. Bv You shall not need to send vnto Atticum for fine hony,..nor into Spain for sugar, nor into Italy for Anniseeds.1597 W. Langham Garden of Health 30 For the dropsie, fill an olde cock with Polipody and Anniseedes, and seethe him well, and drinke the broth.1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. iv. i. iii. 438 Such and such plants,..haue a peculiar vertue to such particular parts, as to the head, Anniseeds, foalefoot,..&c.1760 A. Cooper Compl. Distiller (ed. 2) iii. viii. 157 Aniseed should be chosen large, fair, new, and clean, of a good Smell and acrid Taste.1830 W. Clarke Clarke's Compl. Cellarman 156 Having killed half an ounce of aniseed with half a pint of spirits..add six pounds of clarified lumpsugar.1942 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 16 Apr. 22/1 Aniseeds, an eighth inch long, form from the flower umbels.2001 N. Baggett All Amer. Cookie Bk. 29 Invariably these sweets contain aniseed. Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 11 Aneys seede, or spyce, anetum, anisum.
1591 A. W. Bk. Cookrye (rev. ed.) sig. C2 Take a quart of life Hony..then put in..powder of sinamon, Annis seeds and some Sugar.
1685 J. Chamberlayne tr. P. S. Dufour Manner of making Coffee, Tea, & Chocolate 72 As much Annis-seed as will equal the weight of a shilling.
1745 J. Fothergill Let. 19 Oct. in Chain of Friendship (1971) 106 As soon as the boiling is over, put one ounce of Sassafras bark, 2 of Stick liquorice, 2 of Juniper berries, and half an ounce of either sweet fennil, cassia or annis seeds, as most suits thy palate.
1872 C. D. Warner Saunterings 152 The cooks seem possessed of one of the rules of whist—in case of doubt, play a trump: in case of doubt, they always put in anise-seed.
1951 Gourmet July 51/1 Fold in gently but thoroughly..1 teaspoon anise seeds.
2003 Chile Pepper Feb. 96 The linguist, fresh from chilly Montreal, was wilting in the heat when a well-meaning islander offered her a drink made from mauby, the bark of an indigenous tree cooked with anise seed and sugar.
2. oil of aniseed n. an essential oil obtained from the fruits of anise ( Pimpinella anisum) or (occasionally) those of star anise ( Illicium verum), containing anethole and having a flavour similar to that of liquorice and fennel; = aniseed oil n. at Compounds 2.Oil of aniseed is used medicinally and to flavour food and drinks.Cf. oil of anise n. at anise n. 2.
ΚΠ
1540 R. Jonas tr. E. Roesslin Byrth of Mankynde i. f. lv To the which adde two ounces of oyle of anues sede [sic].
1753 J. Bartlet Gentleman's Farriery iii. 27 Genoa treacle twelve ounces, oil of anniseed one ounce.
1959 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 31 Jan. 292/2 Camphorated tincture of opium..contains benzoic acid,..camphor, an irritant and carminative, and oil of aniseed.
3. The plant anise, Pimpinella anisum.
ΚΠ
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 880 It is called in Latine Anisum..: in French Anis: in English Anise, and Annise seede.
1660 Plat's Second Pt. Garden of Eden 134 These Anniseeds began to flower about the midst of June.
1664 R. Turner Botanologia 68 The flowers [of sweet Cicely] grow in white umbels on the top of the stalks, after which come small black seed, which taste like the leaf of Anniseed.
1796 J. Hunter Compl. Dict. Farriery & Horsemanship Galbanum-gum, is the concrete gummy resinous juice of the evergreen plant, with leaves like those of the aniseed.
1877 E. Rae Country of Moors xvi. 180 Aniseed grows plentifully in the Regency, both here and near Tunis.
1930 X. M. Boulestin & J. Hill Herbs, Salads & Seasoning 20 Aniseed is another member of the great family of Umbelliferæ, in which it is not strikingly distinguished except by its scent.
2016 K. Hartvig Healing Spices 22 Aniseed prefers light, well drained soil and warm, sheltered locations.
4. An alcoholic spirit flavoured with aniseed. Cf. anis n., anisette n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > distilled drink > liqueur > [noun] > kinds of
rosa solis1564
rose wine1603
rose of solace1604
ros solis1607
ratafia1670
brandy-cherrya1687
cherry-brandy1686
kernel-water1706
cherry cordial1710
visney1733
walnut-water1747
aniseed1749
maraschino1770
noyau1787
rosolio1796
cherry-bounce1798
absinthe1803
Parfait Amour1805
curaçao1813
ginger cordial1813
citronelle1818
pine1818
crèmea1821
alkermes1825
Goldwasser1826
citronella1834
anisette1837
goldwater1849
crème de cassis1851
Van der Hum1861
chocolate liqueur1864
kümmel1864
chartreuse1866
pimento dram1867
Trappistine1877
green muse1878
rock and rye1878
Benedictine1882
liqueur brandy1882
mandarin1882
green1889
Drambuie1893
advocaat1895
Grand Marnier1900
green fairy1902
green peril1905
cassis1907
Strega1910
quetsch1916
cointreau1920
anis1926
Izarra1926
Southern Comfort1934
amaro1945
Tia Maria1948
amaretto1969
Sabra1970
sambuca1971
Midori1978
limoncello1993
1641 H. Peacham Worth of Peny 20 A pennie bestowed in a small quantity of Aniseed, Aqua vitæ, or the like strong water, may save ones life in a fainting or swound.
1810 tr. G. C. A. Pigault-Lebrun My Uncle Thomas I. vii. 105 He made my uncle wait at a tavern while he answered the love-letter, and treated him with a glass of aniseed.
1855 D. Costello Stories from Screen 122 The air was redolent of gin..but aniseed was preferred by some.
1904 D. Menpes Venice 177 They cheered and hissed with vehemence, and between the acts drank aniseed and water.
2011 N. Caistor tr. J. Ríos Procession of Shadows i. 20 Barbosa serves her a glass of aniseed he knows he'll never be paid for.
5. With distinguishing word. Any of several evergreen shrubs or small trees of the genus Illicium (family Schisandraceae). Also: the fruit of such a tree. Cf. aniseed tree n. (a) at Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1769 J. Ellis Let. 16 Nov. (Linnean Soc. 292) 90 I haue sent your Lordship in glaz'd frame a small Specimen of the Illicium anisatum of Linnæus commonly calld the Starry Aniseed the ripe seeds which I presented your Lordship were collected last August near Pensacola.
1802 R. Hooper Quincy's Lexicon-medicum (rev. ed.) at Illicium The systematic name of the plant whose seeds are called the star aniseed.
1883 J. Gardner Brewer, Distiller & Wine Manufacturer iv. 125 Angelica root, Calamus aromaticus, Chinese aniseed, and leaves of dittany of Crete, of each 15 grs.
1957 C. F. Leyel Cinquefoil (2007) 152 The star aniseed, Illicium parviflorum, belongs to the magnolia family and is not to be confused with the umbelliferous aniseed.
2001 P. Conway Tree Med. ii. 202 The volatile oil of Japanese aniseed contains the potentially toxic chemical saffrole but that of star anise does not.
Compounds
C1.
a. General use as a modifier, as in aniseed drink, aniseed flavour, aniseed sweet, aniseed taste, etc.
ΚΠ
1598 tr. G. de Rosselli Epulario sig. Jv Lenten Cheese Curds... Send them to the Table..vpon a plate, strawing it with Sugar and Annyseed comfets.
1655 Natura Exenterata 124 Take..Fennel,..put thereto a little Treakle, white Sugar, Anniseed-powder and Cinamon-powder, mingle it together, and eat of it many times in the day.
1843 Ld. J. Manners in Keepsake 5 After our coffee, some most undeniable pale brandy, with an aniseed flavour, was produced.
1899 Pick-me-up 22 July 16 I can detect the faint aniseed smell of the stuff in the bottle. He..commences to drink his absinthe.
1920 Eng. Rev. July 52 George's restaurant is downstairs, and..several Czecho-Syrio-Levite contractors are probably drinking coffee or arrak, the latter being a fascinating aniseed drink.
1985 M. March & J. Anders tr. Z. Herbert Barbarian in Garden (1986) 173 Ending up at Au Bon Coin whose proprietress..treats you to a liquor called ‘Ricard’ which has a terrible aniseed taste.
2017 MailOnline (Nexis) 16 Sept. Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, famous for aniseed sweets and as the setting of the sinfully delicious film Chocolat.
b. As a modifier, with the sense ‘by aniseed; with aniseed; like aniseed’, as in aniseed-flavoured, aniseed-scented, etc. (adjectives).Usually with past participles.
ΚΠ
1848 W. Paul Rose Garden ii. 85 Anisette de Chantemerle... A peculiar hybrid, the branches furnished with large hooked thorns; the flowers aniseed scented.
1851 H. Christmas Shores & Islands of Mediterranean III. ix. 219 The rum was execrable; the brandy the same aniseed-flavoured compound I have before noticed.
1999 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 23 Nov. (Good Living section) 6 An entree of plump poached oysters in a creamy, aniseed-infused pumpkin velouté.
2019 Observer (Nexis) 28 Apr. (Food section) A dish..of early lamb and young shallots with asparagus tips and an aniseed-flavoured herb, such as tarragon or..chervil.
C2.
aniseed ball n. chiefly British a small, hard, spherical sweet flavoured with aniseed oil, being typically dark red or brown and having a rapeseed in the centre.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > confections or sweetmeats > sweets > [noun] > a sweet > globular sweet
aniseed ball1700
bull's-eye1825
brandy-ball1849
blackball1851
dump1869
cake ball1896
gobstopper1906
gulab jamun1917
1864 Birmingham Jrnl. 24 Sept. 8/6 (advt.) Sugar Candy, Aniseed Balls, Lemon Drops.
1924 ‘R. Crompton’ William—the Fourth viii. 125 ‘Have an aniseed ball?’ said Ginger.
2010 S. Fry Fry Chrons. 14 On other shelves there were gobstoppers, aniseed balls and everlasting strips.
aniseed oil n. an essential oil obtained from the fruits of anise ( Pimpinella anisum) or (occasionally) those of star anise ( Illicium verum); = oil of aniseed n. at sense 2.Cf. anise oil n. at anise n. Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1591 J. Hester tr. J. Du Chesne Breefe Aunswere Expos. I. Aubertus Table sig. *2v/2 Aniseed oyle.
1887 ‘20-bore’ Pract. Hints Shooting 454 When trapping on clear ground, let several boys be directed to drag bundles of thick rags saturated with aniseed oil about the fields.
2017 M. J. M. Christenhusz et al. Plants of World 636/2 Aniseed oil is popular in aromatherapy and also used medicinally.
aniseed tree n. (a) any of several evergreen shrubs or small trees of the genus Illicium (family Schisandraceae), the fruit or foliage of which has a fragrance or taste similar to that of aniseed; (b) (chiefly Australian) the ringwood, Syzygium anisatum (family Myrtaceae).
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > non-British trees or shrubs > Asian trees or shrubs > [noun] > Chinese or Japanese anise
badian1693
Chinese anise1727
poison bay1866
shikimi1881
star anise1883
1771 J. Ellis in Philos. Trans. 1770 (Royal Soc.) 60 529 Characters of the Illicium Floridanum, or Florida starry aniseed tree.
1893 Gardeners' Chron. 1 Apr. 386 This interesting plant is in bloom in the economic house at Kew... Popularly it is known as the Aniseed tree.
1949 Jrnl. & Proc. Royal Soc. New S. Wales 83 44 On account of the strong aniseed-like odour of the crushed foliage it has received the vernacular name of ‘Aniseed Tree’.
1991 F. Gapper Gardens Eng. 188 Look out for Illicium anicatum [sic.], the strong-smelling and very slow-growing aniseed tree.
2005 A–Z Garden Plants 106/2 B[ackhousia] anisata, aniseed tree, grows to 20 m (65 ft) in its natural rainforest habitat. When crushed, the foliage has an aniseed smell.
aniseed water n. now chiefly historical an alcoholic spirit flavoured with aniseed; cf. anisette n.
ΚΠ
1623 G. Markham Countrey Contentments, or Eng. Huswife (new ed.) i. 22 Boyle it with prunes and violets in fennell water or Anniseed water.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. (at cited word) In distilling the Annis-seed for the Oil; there is procured a limpid Water call'd Annis-seed Water; which has much the same Virtues with the Oil.
1850 C. Dickens David Copperfield xiii. 137 I am sure I tasted aniseed water, anchovy sauce, and salad dressing.
1992 D. Kitto & E. Spottiswood tr. D. Maraini Silent Duchess (2000) 119 Its cargo of..slices of water-melon, bottles of aniseed water.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2022).
aniseedv.
/ˈanᵻsiːd/, U.S. /ˈænəˌsid/ Hunting. Now rare.
transitive. To apply oil of aniseed to (an animal to be hunted, its feet, etc.) to encourage hounds to take up the scent.
ΚΠ
1837 Sporting Mag. Dec. 96 I began by aniseeding the cat.
1850 R. S. Surtees Soapey Sponge's Sporting Tour liv, in New Monthly Mag. Oct. 205 His lordship's hounds ran into Sir Harry's fox..and, on examining him, he was found to have been aniseeded.
1892 Field 3 Sept. 366/1 If anyone..were to capture badgers, aniseed them, and turn them out in the open..with five minutes' start of a scratch pack of terriers, we fear there would be a fearful outcry.
1938 S. Leslie Film of Memory 75 He aniseeded the hoofs of a Parson's horse and hunted him with bloodhounds.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2022).
<
n.1440
v.1837