biscuit

noun

bis·cuit | \ ˈbi-skət

plural biscuits also biscuit

Definition of biscuit

1a US : a small quick bread made from dough that has been rolled out and cut or dropped from a spoon While both types of biscuit use the same handful of ingredients and are quick to prepare, drop biscuits don't rely on any of the finicky steps rolled biscuits require to get them just right.— Sandra Wu

b British : cookie The children were divided into groups of five seated round a table and each one was given a chocolate biscuit.— H. Colin Davis

2 : earthenware or porcelain after the first firing and before glazing biscuit china

— called also bisque

3a : a light grayish-yellowish brown

b : a grayish yellow

4 woodworking : a small, flat oval of compressed wood that is glued into slots cut into the sides of two boards which are to be joined in order to increase the strength of the resulting bond Have several clamps at the ready; then add glue to the biscuits, push them into the maple slots, and clamp the maple in place. The dry, compressed biscuits swell once glue is applied, so you have to work quickly.— Mike McClintock — compare tenon entry 1

5 slang : a hockey puck To control the biscuit, you've got to win faceoffs.— Lindsay Berra

take the biscuit

British, informal

: to win the prize : to rank first —often used to describe something that is extremely surprising, annoying, etc. When he was quite sure that the narrative had ended he laughed noiselessly for fully half a minute. Then he said: "Well! … That takes the biscuit!" [=(US) takes the cake]— James Joyce

Other Words from biscuit Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about biscuit

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Did You Know?

Long ago it was often a problem to keep food from spoiling, especially on long journeys. One way to preserve flat loaves of bread was to bake them a second time in order to dry them out. In early French, this bread was called pain bescuit or “bread twice-cooked.” Later the term was shortened to bescuit. The idea of being “twice–cooked” was lost as the term was used for any crisp flat bread or for bread made with baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast. The word was borrowed into Middle English as bisquite, but was later spelled biscuit on the model of the French spelling.

Examples of biscuit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Over tea and biscuits at the conference last month, members of the Double-Headed Eagle, a group dedicated to restoring the Russian monarchy, discussed the finer points. — Thomas Grove, WSJ, "Czar Vladimir? Putin Acolytes Want to Bring Back the Monarchy," 13 Dec. 2018 At the Goose, Earnhardt whips cane syrup with soft unsalted butter for extra oomph on her Sweet Blonde biscuit sandwich (country ham, extra-sharp cheddar, over-easy egg). — Rebekah Denn, The Seattle Times, "Cane syrup, a Southern staple, makes its way to Seattle just in time for prime pecan-pie season," 20 Nov. 2018 Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, Kinnaird and her family regularly feasted on Southern favorites like homemade fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, yeast rolls, and sugary desserts. — Marygrace Taylor, Good Housekeeping, "The Simple Diet Change That Helped One Woman Get Her Diabetes Under Control," 15 Oct. 2018 Schifino told me over biscuit sandwiches and kale at Marlow & Sons in Brooklyn. — Alyse Whitney, Bon Appetit, "After a Traumatic Knee Injury, Matt and Kim Drummer Kim Schifino Is Back on Her Feet," 15 June 2018 His menu riffs on the culture of the 1940s and includes a fried-chicken biscuit sandwich, the Shrimp Louie Armstrong salad with a remoulade dressing and the southern supper, a single plate with beans, greens, mac 'n' cheese, ribs and cornbread. — Todd A. Price, NOLA.com, "The American Sector at the National WWII Museum renovates, adds brunch," 6 Apr. 2018 If that's taking Easter too far, Cane Rosso also will be serving its regular brunch menu of pizzas and biscuit sandwiches. — Bud Kennedy, star-telegram, "This lakefront restaurant serves BBQ with a view | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 26 Mar. 2018 Maple Street’s signature is flaky biscuit sandwiches. — Kathleen Purvis, charlotteobserver, "Concord and South Park, a popular biscuit restaurant is headed your way," 8 Feb. 2018 For a lighter dish the herbed eggs are quite the hit for breakfast, and on the more filling side, the biscuit sandwich is a popular choice. — Special To The Oregonian, OregonLive.com, "Gerry Frank's picks: Consider Hither and Greenleaf in Ashland," 16 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'biscuit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.