treacle

American  

[tree-kuhl] / ˈtri kəl /

noun

1. contrived or unrestrained sentimentality.

   a movie plot of the most shameless treacle.

2. British.

   1. molasses, especially that which is drained from the vats used in sugar refining.

   2. Also called golden syrup.  a mild mixture of molasses, corn syrup, etc., used in cooking or as a table syrup.

3. Pharmacology, Obsolete. any of various medicinal compounds, formerly used as antidotes for poison.

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treacle British  

/ ˈtriːkəl /

noun

1. Also called: black treacle.  a dark viscous syrup obtained during the refining of sugar

2. another name for golden syrup

3. anything sweet and cloying

4. obsolete any of various preparations used as an antidote to poisoning

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Other Word Forms

• treacliness
  noun
• treacly
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of treacle

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, variant of triacle “antidote,” from Middle French, Old French, from Latin thēriaca, from Greek thēriakḗ, noun use of feminine of thēriakós “concerning wild beasts,” equivalent to thērí(on) “wild beast” ( thḗr “wild beast” + -ion diminutive suffix) + -akos -ac

Explanation

Use the noun treacle to describe a book or a song that is so sweet and sappy that it makes you feel a little sick. Treacle is literally a type of thick, sticky syrup — that might help you remember its primary, figurative meaning as non-food that’s syrupy and sentimental. When someone lays on the flattery, that's treacle, as are overly sentimental music and calling your girlfriend "schmoopy-poo." Interestingly, the word treacle was originally used to mean "poison antidote," from the Greek root word thēriakē, "antidote for venom."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

treacle

You crave one more moment to wrap things up, but sometimes it’s better to leave us wanting more, avoiding the treacle and focusing on the heart — and the humor — of the matter.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2024

Mr Hudson said that talking to the government about the issue had been like "going through treacle".

From BBC ● May 1, 2024

But the lime changes things, adding sour to the sweet, tart to the treacle and a dash of pucker to the saccharine.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 28, 2023

In a way, the show is quirkily counterintuitive, turning a quintessentially British activity, such as making treacle tarts, into an excuse for Broadway-style song and dance.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 20, 2023

Harry would have pointed out that trouble didn’t come much worse than having slugs pouring out of your mouth, but he couldn’t; Hagrid’s treacle toffee had cemented his jaws together.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling