Forms: α. 4–7 ionket, (5 -ett, 6 -et(t)e), 6 ionckette, 6–7 iuncket, (6 -ete, 7 -ette), iunquet, iunket, 7–9 juncket, junkett, 7– junket. β. 6 ioncat, 6 iouncat, 6–7 iuncat, -cate, 7 iunkat, -kate, 7–8 juncate. See also JUNCADE. [Of somewhat obscure history, in respect both of forms and senses, but app. a. ONF. *jonket, *jonquet, or jonquette, rush-basket, f. jonc rush, JUNK sb.1 Norman patois has ‘jonquette espèce de crême faite avec du lait bouilli, additionné de jaunes d’œuf, de sucre et de caramel’ (Moisy), and the related forms jonchée (= med.L. juncata, It. giuncata) and jonchiere, jonquiere (:—*juncāria) are common in senses 1 and 2 of our word (see Littré and Godef.).
The β-forms in sense 2 may be directly from med.L. juncata (cf. JUNCADE); but their late occurrence in sense 3 is notable. The history of sense 2 is not quite clear; and the relationship of 3 to 4 is complicated by the earlier JUNKERY.]
1. A basket (orig. made of rushes); esp. a basket in which fish are caught or carried. Now dial.
1382. Wyclif, Exod. ii. 3. Whanne he myȝte hide hym no lenger, he tok a ionket of resshen … and putte the litil faunt with ynne. Ibid., Job, 2nd Prol. (1850), II. 671. If forsothe a iunket with resshe I shudde make.
1483. Cath. Angl., 198/1. A Ionkett for fysche.
1565–73. Cooper, Thesaurus, Caudecæ, little coffers of wickers: iunkets wherein yeeles are taken.
1703. Thoresby, Lett. to Ray (E. D. S.), Junket, a wicker long wisket to catch fish.
1829. in Hunter, Hallamsh. Gloss.
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal., 366. Junkets … hand Junkets.
1893. Northumbld. Gloss., Junket, a basket for catching fish.
2. A cream-cheese or other preparation of cream (originally made in a rush-basket or served on a rush-mat: see JUNCADE); now, a dish consisting of curds sweetened and flavored, served with a layer of scalded cream on the top. (Popularly associated with Devonshire, but answering to the ‘curds and cream’ of other districts.)
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 93. Milke, crayme, and cruddes, and eke the Ioncate, Þey close a mannes stomak … Þerfore ete hard chese aftir.
1513. Bk. Keruynge, in Babees Bk., 266. Be ware of cowe creme, & … Iouncat, for these wyll make your souerayne seke but he ete harde chese.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, v. 91. There are also certaine Iunkets vsually made of milke … as of the best of the milke coagulated, there is made a kinde of Iuncket, called in most places a Fresh-Cheese.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xxxiii. No artificers are then [August] held in greater Request than the Afforders of refrigerating Inventions, Makers of Junkets [F. joncades].
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 561. Junket, made of raw milk and rennet … sweetened with sugar, and a little cream added [at Penzance].
1826. Polwhele, Trad. & Recoll., II. 533. Cornwall produced nothing good but junket and the ‘Weekly Entertainer.’
1881. Cornh. Mag., Nov., 609. Junkets identical with those for which Devonshire is famous, but made of ewe’s instead of cow’s milk.
† 3. Any dainty sweetmeat, cake or confection; a sweet dish; a delicacy; a kickshaw. Obs.
α. 1547–64. Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. (Palfr.), 137. To behold the furnished table … with variety of the most dainty iunkets, costly and delicate dishes.
1566. Adlington, Apuleius, Gold. Ass, x. xlv. Bread pasties, tartes, custardes and other delicate ionckettes dipped in honie.
1629. Parkinson, Parad., Orchard, xviii. 586. [Orange peel] Candied with Sugar to serve with other dryed Junquets.
1694. Westmacott, Script. Herb., 85. Fillberds … being an excellent Junket instead of Tobacco in their compotating humours.
1715. trans. Pancirollus’ Rerum Mem., I. IV. x. 184. Junkets or Sweetmeats, were pompously brought in with the Solemnity of a Flute.
β. 1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. 194. It agreeth not with them that make profession of manlie fortitude … to take such iuncates.
1608. Topsell, Serpents (1658), 815. The people of India … do make of these Worms divers juncats, as we do Tarts, Marchpanes, Wafers, and Cheese-cakes, to eat instead of other dainties.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 914. Juncates or honey-meats, and wafers, they have divers names as the thing is made.
1764. Harmer, Observ., III. iv. 134. A cake seems to be used for all juncates or dainty meats.
4. A feast or banquet; a merrymaking accompanied with feasting; also in mod. use (now only U.S.), a pleasure expedition or outing at which eating and drinking are prominent; a picnic-party.
1530. Palsgr., 235. Ionkette, banquet.
1540. Morysine, Vives’ Introd. Wysd., C j b. Spendynge his patrimonie vppon ionkettes [L. comessationes], mynstreles, and scoffers.
a. 1656. Vines, Lord’s Supp. (1677), 30. With these junkets and feasts they joyned the celebration of the Lords Supper.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 298, ¶ 5. At a late Junket which he was invited to.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 142, ¶ 6. She taught him … to catch the servants at a junket.
1814. Mad. D’Arblay, Wanderer, III. 73. I come … to ask the favour of your company … to a little junket at our farm.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxviii. George taking out his wife to a new jaunt or junket every night.
1873. Dixon, Two Queens, I. IV. viii. 229. Amidst his bridal junkets, Charles was told [etc.].
5. Comb., as junket-basket (= picnic-basket).
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 439. Well-stored junket-baskets.
Hence Junketaceous, Junketous adjs., given to junketing. nonce-wds.
1760. H. Walpole, Corr. (1837), II. 16. You are as junkettaceous as my lady Northumberland.
1830. Lady Granville, Lett. (1894), II. 66. She rather likes the thought, having a more junketous soul than me.
