preserved in aspic
Unchanged, especially if contrary to expectation.
He described the service as ‘preserved in aspic, speaking with the plummy tones of a Britain that scarcely existed any longer’.
aspic
/ˈæspɪk/
noun 4adj 1
Collocations
5ADJ.
little
VERB + ASPIC
put
ASPIC + NOUN
mould, nipples, salad, yours
PREP.
in, on, upon, with
ADV.
once, such
Definitions
noun
1
A meat or fish jelly.
“Put a little aspic in the mould, so as to cover the bottom ···“
2
A dish in which ingredients are set into a gelatine, jelly-like substance made from a meat stock or consommé.
"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Wynand," whispered Keating. His eyes fixed upon the tomato aspic on his salad plate; it was soft and shivering; it made him sick.
3
An asp, a small venomous snake of Egypt.
This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves / Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves.
(With that she tore her robe apart, and half / The polished argent of her breast to sight / Laid bare. Thereto she pointed with a laugh, / Showing the aspic's bite. )
4
A light cannon firing a two-pound ball.
adj
1
Aspish; relating to an asp, a small venomous snake of Egypt.
Timeless mother, / How is it that your aspic nipples / For once vent honey?
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
501
“Put a little aspic in the mould, so as to cover the bottom ···“
Wiktionary02
"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Wynand," whispered Keating. His eyes fixed upon the tomato aspic on his salad plate; it was soft and shivering; it made him sick.
Wiktionary03
This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves / Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves.
Wiktionary04
Timeless mother, / How is it that your aspic nipples / For once vent honey?
Wiktionary05
This aspic of yours with fish is such an abomination.
Tatoeba · #12725121Usage Notes
i Register
In some senses, aspic is marked as obsolete, poetic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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