flummery

  • 1Flummery — (from Gerzensee) Flummery is a sweet soft pudding that is made from stewed fruit and thickened with cornstarch. Traditional British flummeries were, like porridge, often oatmeal based and cooked to achieve a smooth and gelatinous texture; sugar… …

    Wikipedia

  • 2Flummery — Flum mer*y, n. [W. llumru, or llumruwd, a kind of food made of oatmeal steeped in water until it has turned sour, fr. llumrig harsh, raw, crude, fr. llum sharp, severe.] 1. A light kind of food, formerly made of flour or meal; a sort of pap.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3flummery — 1620s, a type of coagulated food, from Welsh llymru sour oatmeal jelly boiled with the husks, of uncertain origin. Figurative use, of flattery, empty talk, is from 1740s …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4flummery — ► NOUN (pl. flummeries) 1) empty talk or compliments. 2) a sweet dish made with beaten eggs and sugar. ORIGIN Welsh llymru …

    English terms dictionary

  • 5flummery — [flum′ər ē] n. pl. flummeries [Welsh llymru, soured oatmeal < llymus, of a sharp quality] 1. any soft, easily eaten food; esp., a) Historical thick, boiled oatmeal or flour b) a soft custard or blancmange 2. meaningless flattery or silly talk …

    English World dictionary

  • 6flummery — Sowens Sow ens (? or ?), n. pl. [Scottish; cf. AS. se[ a]w juice, glue, paste.] A nutritious article of food, much used in Scotland, made from the husk of the oat by a process not unlike that by which common starch is made; called {flummery} in… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7flummery — noun (plural meries) Etymology: Welsh llymru Date: 1623 1. a. a soft jelly or porridge made with flour or meal b. any of several sweet desserts 2. mummery, mumbo jumbo …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 8flummery — /flum euh ree/, n., pl. flummeries. 1. oatmeal or flour boiled with water until thick. 2. fruit custard or blancmange usually thickened with cornstarch. 3. any of various dishes made of flour, milk, eggs, sugar, etc. 4. complete nonsense; foolish …

    Universalium

  • 9flummery — 1. noun a) A custard; any of several bland, gelatinous foodstuffs, usually made from stewed fruit and thickened with oatmeal, cornstarch or flour b) empty or meaningless talk 2. interjection an expression of contemptuous …

    Wiktionary

  • 10flummery — Synonyms and related words: absurdity, amphigory, babble, babblement, balderdash, bibble babble, blabber, blather, bombast, claptrap, double talk, drivel, drool, fiddle faddle, fiddledeedee, folderol, fudge, fustian, gabble, galimatias, gammon,… …

    Moby Thesaurus