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cruet

noun

  1. small vessel, usually with handle and stopper, for serving vinegar, oil, or other liquids
L318918 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈkɹu.ɪt/

noun

Etymology: From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman cruet, diminutive of Old French crue (“an earthen pot”), from Old Saxon krūka.

  1. A small bottle or container used to hold a condiment, such as oil, vinegar, salt, or pepper, for use at a dining table.

    Near-synonym: shaker (sometimes synonymous)

    "By Jupiter there's vinegar!" I heard him say to his friend, after he had stood on tiptoe an immense time, and had been crushed and beaten on all sides. "And there's oil!! I saw them distinctly, in cruets! Can any gentleman, in front there, see mustard on the table? Sir, will you oblige me! Do you see a Mustard-Pot?"

  2. A stand for these containers.

    He[…]even had a second slice of lamb, for he was hungry. During the meal, as was his custom, he read from a book propped up against the cruet.

  3. A small vessel used to hold wine or water for the Eucharist.