Obs. Also 6 croset, -ette, 7 cruzet. [a. F. creuset (Paré 16th c.) crucible.] A crucible.

1

1558–80.  Warde, trans. Alexis’ Secr., I. VI. 115 b. Poure the Siluer out of the croset. Ibid. (ed. 1), 118. Set it in the fire in a Goldsmithes croset.

2

1604.  E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xiii. 247. They cary the bars of silver vnto the Assay maister,… he cuttes a small peece of every one,… and puttes them into a cruset.

3

1611.  Cotgr., Creuset, a crucible, cruzet, or cruet: a little earthen pot, wherein Goldsmithes melt their siluer.

4

1755.  Johnson, Cruset, a goldsmith’s melting pot. Philips. [See also CRUSIE.]

5

  [The ulterior etymology is complicated and uncertain; cf. CRUSELL, and see Hatzfeld, Littré, Diez, Grimm s.v. Krausel, Doornkaat-Koolman s.v. Krusel. The OF. croisel, croiseul meant both night-lamp and crucible: cf. CRUSIE.]

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