Trea"cle (trē"k'l), n. [OE.
triacle a sovereign remedy, theriac, OF. triacle, F.
thériaque (cf. Pr. triacla, tiriaca, Sp. & It.
triaca, teriaca), L. theriaca an antidote against the
bite of poisonous animals, Gr. ?, fr. ? of wild or venomous beasts, fr.
qhri`on a beast, a wild beast, dim. of qh`r a beast.
Cf. Theriac.] 1. (Old Med.) A remedy
against poison. See Theriac, 1.
We kill the viper, and make treacle of
him.
Jer. Taylor.
2. A sovereign remedy; a cure. [Obs.]
Christ which is to every harm treacle.
Chaucer.
3. Molasses; sometimes, specifically, the molasses
which drains from the sugar-refining molds, and which is also called
sugarhouse molasses.
☞ In the United States molasses is the common name; in
England, treacle.
4. A saccharine fluid, consisting of the
inspissated juices or decoctions of certain vegetables, as the sap of the
birch, sycamore, and the like.
Treacle mustard (Bot.), a name given to
several species of the cruciferous genus Erysimum, especially the
E. cheiranthoides, which was formerly used as an ingredient in
Venice treacle, or theriac. -- Treacle water, a
compound cordial prepared in different ways from a variety of ingredients,
as hartshorn, roots of various plants, flowers, juices of plants, wines,
etc., distilled or digested with Venice treacle. It was formerly regarded
as a medicine of great virtue. Nares. -- Venice
treacle. (Old Med.) Same as Theriac,
1.