• (America) IPA: /ˈkɑndʒi/
• (RP) IPA: /ˈkɒndʒiː/

congee (plural congees)

1. Leave, formal permission for some action, (originally and particularly):
   1. (obsolete) Formal permission to leave; a passport.
2. (obsolete) Formal dismissal; (figurative) any dismissal; (originally & particularly humorously ironic) abrupt dismissal without ceremony.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.i:

     So courteous conge both did giue and take,
     With right hands plighted, pledges of good will.

3. (obsolete) Formal leavetaking; (figurative) any farewell.
4. (obsolete, Scottish) A fee paid to make another go away, (particularly) alms to a persistent beggar.
5. (archaic) A bow, curtsey, or other gesture (originally) made at departure but (later) including at greeting or in obeissance or respect.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 17, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:

     As salutations, reverences, or conges, by which some doe often purchase the honour, (but wrongfully) to be humble, lowly, and courteous […].

congee (congees, present participle congeeing; past and past participle congeed)

1. (archaic) To give congee, (particularly)
   1. (obsolete, transitive) To give formal permission to leave; to dismiss.
   2. (obsolete, transitive) To give formal permission to do something; to license.
2. (archaic) To take congee: to leave ceremoniously.
3. (archaic) To make a congee: to bow, curtsey, etc., (particularly, dialectal) while leaving; (figuratively) to make obeissance, show respect, or defer to someone or something.

congee (uncountable)

1. (Asian cuisine) A type of thick rice porridge or soup, sometimes prepared with vegetables and/or meat.

• rice porridge; rice congee (hypercorrect)
• (Chinese English) porridge

• French: congee
• German: Reis-Congee, Congee
• Portuguese: canja
• Russian: ри́совый отва́р
• Spanish: arroz caldo