Now rare. [ad. L. coctiōnem cooking, n. of action, f. coquĕre to COOK: so F. coction (16th c. in Littré).]
1. Boiling; cooking in general.
1605. Timme, Quersit., II. vi. 130. The true correctors of all remedies are purifying and coctions only.
1677. Grew, Anat. Plants (1682), 273. Either by Coction or long Infusion.
1707. Sloane, Jamaica, I. 131. The venom lies chiefly in volatile parts going away by coction.
1821. R. Turner, Arts & Sci., 218. In the sixth boiler the syrup receives its full coction.
† 2. The action of heat in preparing any substance; e.g., the baking of earthenware, etc. Obs.
1684. Boyle, Porousn. Anim. & Solid Bod., iv. 91. Those earthern Bottles … by reason of the solidity they acquire by the vehement coction of the Fire.
1766. T. Amory, Life J. Buncle (1825), III. 220. Procure to the imperfect metals the much desired coction.
† 3. Ripening. Obs.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., I. 90. The Pear … may receive thereby an extraordinary Coction.
† 4. Old Med. The ‘ripening’ of morbific matter, which fits it for elimination from the living body.
1572. J. Jones, Bathes Buckstone, 18 a. Coction must be loked first; especially in grosse, tough, and slimy humours.
1685. Boyle, Enq. Notion Nat., 229. When they say that a Portion of Peccant Matter is brought to Coction, they mean, that it has acquir’d such a Disposition, as makes it more fit, than before, to be separated.
1738. Med. Ess., IV. 364.
1852. Sir W. Hamilton, Discuss., 247. Under the terms, crudity, coction, and evacuation, were designated the three principal periods of diseases, as dependent on an alteration of the morbific matter.
5. Phys. Digestion of food. ? Obs.
1667. Phil. Trans., II. 514. The conveighing of the Yolk into the Guts for a second coction.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. ix. 22/1. The Action of the stomach is Coction which is termed Chylification.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Indigestion.
1880. trans. Trousseau & Pidoux’ Therapeutics, III. 330. The system is powerless to perform any coction.
† 6. Preparation by a natural process that gradually brings to perfection. Obs.
1683. Salmon, Doron Med., I. 332. The first Celestial dew … by a perpetual ‘Coction.’
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Milk, The Milk which is too young, should be rejected, because it has not acquir’d all the Degrees of Coction it should have.
1729. Shelvocke, Artillery, II. 85. The Fossil is more gross than the Sea Salt, as well on account of its Coction or Preparation, as of its Substance.
