[f. CANDY sb.1, after F. candir, It. candire to candy. The formation of the French vb. was prob. assisted by taking candi in sucre candi as a pa. pple. = candied: cf. It. zucchero candito.]
1. trans. To preserve (fruits, etc.) by boiling with sugar, which crystallizes and forms a crust; to coat or incrust with sugar. Also absol.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helth (1541), 72 a. Gynger … candyd with Sugar.
a. 1634. Randolph, To Feltham, 114. Neatly to candy o’re the wholesome pill.
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 126. To pot and candy, and preserve for the uses of the family.
c. 1760. Glasse (title), Compleat Confectioner … Method of … Candying Fruit.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 24. If I’ve only got some orange flowers to candy.
2. fig. To sweeten, render pleasant or palatable; to give a pleasant appearance to; to sugar over.
1592. Conspir. Pretend. Ref., Pref. 2. To candie and sweeten them ouer with the louely shewe of peace.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, V. iv. 201. That which was canded with semblable pleasure.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xix. 337. His Teachers … candy over his sourest studies with pleasure.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Gen. Poems (1677), 15. For shame you pretty Female Elves, Cease thus to candy up your selves.
a. 1734. North, Examen, 305 (D.). Thereby to candy them up to posterity.
3. To form into crystals, congeal in a crystalline form: a. sugar, honey, etc.; b. (transf.) other things resembling sugar, as salt, ice, etc.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. ii. (1641), 14/1. Th’ excessive cold of the mid-aire (anon) Candies-it [a dropping show’r] all in bals of Ycy-stone.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 362. As for sugar … the best comes out of India. A kind of hony it is, gathered and candied in certaine Canes.
1773. Lond. & Country Brewer, II. (1742), 110. The Sea-salt water candied or coagulated by the Sun.
1880. Print. Trades Jrnl., XXX. 37. Too much boiling candies the molasses.
4. transf. To cover or incrust with crystalline substance, as hoar-frost, etc. Also to candy over.
1607. Shaks., Timon, IV. iii. 226. The cold Brooke Candied with ice.
1613. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. iv. (1772), I. 119. Hoary frosts had candy’d all the plaines.
1639. G. Daniel, Ecclus. xliii. 44. Frost, sent as salt … and Plants are Candid ore.
1703. Burchett, Naval Trans., III. xix. (1720), 393. The Provisions sent to them were … candied with Salt.
5. intr. To crystallize or congeal, to become incrusted with sugar.
1657. S. Purchas, Theat. Pol. Flying-Ins., 209. The hony … of the new world, candies not, but is alwayes liquid like oyl.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 34. After the Syrup comes to stand some time, it will candy.
Mod. Preserves candy by long keeping.
