Forms: 6 alycaunt, alle-, aligaunte, 6–7 alle-, 7 ale-, alligant, 7– alicant(e. A kind of wine made at Alicante in Spain.
c. 1500. Col. Blowbol, in Halliw., Nug. Poet., 10. Rede wyn … and Alycaunt, in whom I delite.
1547. Recorde, Judic. Ur., 36 b. Darke red wyne, and Allegaunte.
1604. Dekker, Honest Wh., I. i, You’ll blood three pottles of Aligant.
1625. [Beaum. & Fl.], Maid of Inn, IV. ii. Butter’d beer, coloured with Alligant [cf. Shaks., Merry Wives, II. ii. 69].
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 56. Bedew it with a little Sack or Alegant.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Alicante, where great store of Mulberries grow, the juyce whereof makes the true Alicant wine.
1693. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 68. Aligant or Alicant, wine.
