[f. L. concoct-, ppl. stem of concoquĕre: see prec.
The literal sense in Lat. was ‘to boil together, prepare (a mixture) by boiling or heat,’ whence transf. ‘to digest in the stomach,’ and fig. ‘to digest or revolve in the mind,’ and ‘to stomach or brook with the feelings’; also ‘to make ready with heat, ripen, mature.’ Most of the Lat. senses have been from time to time taken into Eng., where they have been increased by other fig., transf., allusive, and intermediate uses. The earliest Eng. sense appears to be ‘digest,’ but the only existing ones are 9 and 11.]
† I. To make ready, or mature, by heat. Obs.
† 1. gen. (trans.). To prepare by the action of heat, to boil, cook, bake, etc. lit. and fig. Obs.
1607. Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr., I. iv. 176. There wanteth … the heate of the Nurse that doth digest and concockt the milke to make it sweet.
1643. trans. G. A. Fabricius’ Exper. Chyrurg., xiii. 49. The Patient [must] never eate, except the meat be first well concocted.
1673. O. Walker, Educ. (1677), 57. Difficulties … bake and concoct the mind—lazines effeminates and loosneth it.
† b. intr. for refl. To boil, simmer, bake, etc.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 417. So that they [grapes] be let to concoct before in the Sun, vntil they be white and drie.
1635. Sibbes, Soul’s Confl., ii. (ed. 4), 16. Such enemies, as did not suffer their malice only to boile and concoct in their own breasts.
1830. Bp. Monk, Life Bentley (1833), I. 321. He resolved to discharge his bile, which had been so long concocting.
† 2. In obs. Physical science: To bring (metals, minerals, etc.) to their perfect or mature state by heat; to ‘maturate.’ Obs.
1555. Eden, Decades, 266. The mountaynes … are fruteful of metals, in the which, syluer and copper are concocte and molten into veynes, which can scarsely bee doonne in fornaces.
1611. Speed, Theat. Gt. Brit., xlii. (1614), 83/1. A clammie kinde of clay hardned with heat abounding in the earth, and so becoming concocted, is nothing else but bitumen.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 114. Were this rock of raw diamonds removed into the East Indies, and placed where the beams of the sun might sufficiently concoct them.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 514. Sulphurous and Nitrous Foame … with suttle Art Concocted and adusted they reduc’d To blackest grain.
1671. J. Webster, Metallogr., iii. 42. And after concocted and maturated into several forms of Metals.
1837. Hawthorne, Twice-told T. (1851), I. xi. 185. This most precious gem that ever was concocted in the laboratory of Nature.
† b. intr. for refl. Obs.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. iii. 89. Rocks … which from a sandy kind of Earth gradually concoct into Freestone.
† c. Formerly applied to the formation of dew or rain. Obs.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal. (1713), 17. There went up a moist Vapour from the Earth, which being matured and concocted … became a precious balmy liquor, and fit vehicle of Life.
1684. Charnock, Attrib. God (1834), I. 45. Vapours ascend from the earth and the heavens concoct them and return them back in welcome showers.
† 3. To ripen or mature: a. fruits, vegetable juices, gums, etc.; b. morbific humours, boils, tumors, etc.; to maturate. Obs.
2. 1577. [see CONCOCT ppl. a.].
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1323. The oile … being better concocted, and riper in the fruit.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 631 Fruits, and Graines, (we see) are halfe a yeere, or more, in Concocting.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl. (1675), 68. Green Fruit … is but sowre, and unwholesome, being neither sweetned nor concocted by Maturity.
1764. Grainger, Sugar-Cane, I. 54.
| For him the Cane with little labour grows; | |
| ’Spite of the dog-star, shoots long yellow joints; | |
| Concocts rich juice, tho’ deluges descend. |
1781–1818. [see CONCOCTED.]
b. 1586. Cogan, Haven Health, xxxvii. (1636), 54. Basill … outwardly applied it doth digest and concoct.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 48. Oyl of Dill … concocteth crude tumors.
1748. trans. Vegetius’ Distemp. Horses, 58. All the distempered Matter is concocted and maturated.
fig. 1667. Flavel, Saint Indeed (1754), 92. It is the fault of many good men, to be of hasty and quick spirits when provoked, tho’ they dare not concoct anger into malice.
II. To digest.
† 4. trans. To digest (food). See CONCOCTION. Obs. or arch. (Associated with boiling in 1533.)
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, II. (R.). For cold maketh appetite, but naturall heate concocteth or boyleth.
1541. [see CONCOCT ppl. a.).
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 68. To see how the … meate receiued into the stomacke, will be digested, and concocted.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 79. The Struthio-camell or Ostridge … will concoct iron.
1742. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, II. 86. That quantity that is sufficient, the stomach can perfectly concoct and digest.
1825. Lamb, Elia (1860), 421. We cannot concoct our food with interruptions.
† b. fig. Obs.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, V. xvii. 457. The multitude of Lakes and Rivers, whereout the Sunne drinketh more then hee can well concoct.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., I. vii. (1851), 135. Things … crude and hard to digest, which only time and deliberation can supple, and concoct.
1741. Watts, Improv. Mind, I. ii. § 5. It does as it were concoct our intellectual food, and turns it into a part of ourselves.
† c. intr. for refl. Obs.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, viii. 173. A competent time … for the meats … to concoct, and descend from the stomacke.
† 5. To digest in the mind, ruminate on, revolve, think over. Obs.
1534. [see CONCOCT ppl. a.].
1654. Triana, in Fuller’s Cause & Cure, etc. (1867), 230. They for a time sat still to concoct with themselves the reason of so strange an accident.
† 6. To put up with, endure, bear; to brook, ‘digest,’ ‘stomach.’ Obs.
a. 1627. Hayward, Edw. VI. (1630), 101. Assuredly he was a man of a feeble stomacke, vnable to concoct any great fortune prosperous or aduerse.
1679. J. Goodman, Penitent Pard., III. i. (1713), 271. Provocation … too great for us to be able to concoct.
† 7. To digest, or properly dispose and assimilate (a matter). Obs.
1659. O. Walker, Oratory, 15. Alter and concoct the matter received from others into your own style.
III. To compose or produce, compound, make up by a process.
18. To compose or produce by a natural process; to secrete. Obs. Cf. CONCOCTION 1 b.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 406. Honey Dewes are found … upon Oak Leaves … But whether any cause be from the Leaf it self to concoct the Dew.
1741. Monro, Anat. Nerves (ed. 3), 25. The Mucus of the alimentary Canal is concocted in Lacunæ.
9. To make up or prepare (artificially) by mixing a variety of ingredients; now esp. of a soup, a drink, or the like.
1675. Evelyn, Terra (1729), 38. Composts should be thoroughly concocted, air’d, of a scent agreeable.
1816. Southey, Ess. (1832), I. 266. A book of solid materials heavily concocted, but collected with industry.
1830. Scott, Demonol., v. 148. The most potent ale, concocted with spices and a little white sugar.
1844. Lever, T. Burke, ii. As he employed himself in concocting a smoking tumbler of punch.
1854. Badham, Halieut., 487. For Spartan friends … I must concoct the filthy dark broth for which they are famous.
† 10. To compose, settle by concert. Obs.
1616. Brent, trans. Sarpi’s Hist. Counc. Trent (1676), 23 b. The point of Residency, which was as hard to be concocted, for that it was popular.
1659. H. More, Immort. Soul (1662), 135. That difficulty is concocted pretty well already.
11. To make up, devise, or plan by concert, or by artificial combination; to put together, make up, or fabricate (a story, project, fraud, etc.).
1792. Mary Wollstonecr., Rights Wom., v. 253. They maintain them [opinions] with a degree of obstinacy that would surprise even the person who concocted them.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, V. xl. 126. The whole project, concocted with such elaborate preparations.
1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. iv. 84. The fact of simultaneous action in Kent and Norfolk makes it certain that the uprising was concocted, and could not have been due to an accident.
1878. Black, Green Past., xxiv. 190. A fraud which he had either concocted or condoned.
