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

Out swirl notes of toffee and cocoa, walnuts and toast, biscuits and coffee. Hearty... — William Bostwick, WSJ, "Beer for Those Seeking Balance," 12 Apr. 2019 Bob Evans, a 500-plus-store sit-down chain that serves pot roast, biscuits and other homey fare, also recently advertised with AARP. — Leslie Patton, The Seattle Times, "Senior citizens are replacing teenagers as fast-food workers," 13 Nov. 2018 The soup giant is also looking to sell its international business, including the Arnott’s and Kelsen biscuit brands, and that asset is expected to garner wide interest, according to people familiar with the process. — Cara Lombardo, WSJ, "Campbell in Talks to Sell Fresh Unit to Investors Led by Former Bolthouse CEO," 4 Oct. 2018 Less picky barristers store their wigs in biscuit tins. — The Economist, "As temperatures rise, English lawyers’ costumes look odder than ever," 5 July 2018 Make batter: Stir biscuit mix, shortening, egg and milk together until blended. — Debbi Snook, cleveland.com, "Jiffy Apple Cobbler from Brandt Evans (recipe)," 9 May 2018 It wasn’t shaped like a biscuit tin, but like a cigar, with two pointy ends and a tower in the middle. — Joshua Levine, Smithsonian, "The Hunt for the Notorious U-Boat UB-29," 19 Apr. 2018 Well, to remove the most precious stones from the Imperial State Crown—Black Prince’s Ruby and St. Edward’s Sapphire—put them into a biscuit tin, and bury them in the grounds of Windsor Castle, The Times in London revealed today. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "The Secret Chambers That Hid the Crown Jewels During World War II," 12 Jan. 2018 Under the threat of German invasion during World War II, Britain's Crown Jewels were hidden in a most unassuming place: a biscuit tin, buried 60 feet below Windsor Castle. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Where Were Britain's Crown Jewels Hidden During WWII?," 12 Jan. 2018

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.