A rich sweet confection made with sugar and often flavored or combined with fruits or nuts.
A piece of such a confection.
v.
can·died, can·dy·ing, can·dies
v.
tr.
To reduce to sugar crystals.
To cook, preserve, saturate, or coat with sugar or syrup.
To make pleasant or agreeable; sweeten.
v.
intr.
To become crystallized into sugar.
To become coated with sugar or syrup.
[Middle English candi, crystallized cane sugar, short for sugre-candi, translation of Old French sucre candi and Old Italian zucchero candi, both from Arabic sukkar qandīy : sukkar, sugar + qandīy, candied (from qand, cane sugar, probably from Dravidian kaṇṭu, lump).]
1274, from O.Fr. sucre candi "sugar candy," from Arabic qandi, from Pers. qand "cane sugar," probably from Skt. khanda "piece (of sugar)," perhaps from Dravidian (cf. Tamil kantu "candy," kattu "to harden, condense"). Eye-candy is first recorded 1984, based on a metaphor also found in nose candy "cocaine" (1930). Candyass is from 1950s; candy-striper is 1960s, so called from design of her uniform.
Can"died\, a. [From 1st Candy.]1. Preserved in or with sugar; incrusted with a candylike substance; as, candied fruits. 2. (a) Converted wholly or partially into sugar or candy; as candied sirup. (b) Conted or more or less with sugar; as, candidied raisins. (c) Figuratively; Honeyed; sweet; flattering. Let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp. --Shak. 3. Covered or incrusted with that which resembles sugar or candy. Will the cold brook, Candiedwith ice, caudle thy morning tast? --Shak.
Can"dy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Candied; p. pr & vb. n. Candying.] [F. candir (cf. It. candire, Sp. az['u]car cande or candi), fr. Ar. & Pers. qand, fr. Skr. Kha[.n][.d]da piece, sugar in pieces or lumps, fr. kha[.n][.d], kha[.d] to break.]1. To conserve or boil in sugar; as, to candy fruits; to candy ginger. 2. To make sugar crystals of or in; to form into a mass resembling candy; as, to candy sirup. 3. To incrust with sugar or with candy, or with that which resembles sugar or candy. Those frosts that winter brings Which candy every green. --Drayson.
Can"dy\, v. i. 1. To have sugar crystals form in or on; as, fruits preserved in sugar candy after a time. 2. To be formed into candy; to solidify in a candylike form or mass.
Can"dy\ n. [F. candi. See Candy, v. t.] A more or less solid article of confectionery made by boiling sugar or molasses to the desired consistency, and than crystallizing, molding, or working in the required shape. It is often flavored or colored, and sometimes contains fruit, nuts, etc.
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