comfit

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkʌmfɪt/

Noun

comfit (plural comfits)

1. A confection consisting of a nut, seed or fruit coated with sugar.
   • Proverb, quoted in Robert Christy, Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages, New York, London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1887,

     A bean in liberty is better than a comfit in prison.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1, Act III, Scene 1,

     Heart! you swear like a comfit-maker's wife.

   • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, "Perilous Play,"

     "Why, what are they?" she asked, looking at him askance. ¶ "Hashish; did you never hear of it?" ¶ "Oh, yes; it's that Indian stuff which brings one fantastic visions, isn't it? I've always wanted to see and taste it, and now I will," cried Belle, nibbling at one of the bean-shaped comfits with its green heart.

   • 1922, James Elroy Flecker, The Story of Hassan of Baghdad and How he Came to Make the Golden Journey to Samarkand, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Act I, p. 17,

     But since I ate your present of comfits—and they were admirable comfits, and I ate them with speed—my heart is changed and inclined toward you, I know not why or how, except it be through magic.

Related terms

• comfiture

Verb

comfit (comfits, present participle comfiting; past and past participle comfited)

1. (transitive) To preserve dry with sugar.
   • 17th c, Abraham Cowley, The First Nemeæan Ode of Pindar: The Muse, 1795, Robert Anderson (editor), The Works of the British Poets, Volume 5, page 302 ↗,

     The fruit which does ſo quickly waſte, // Men ſcarce can ſee it, much leſs taſte, // Thou comfiteſt in ſweets to make it laſt.

Noun

comfit (plural comfits)

1. (Australia) A computerised image of a suspect produced for the police force.

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