Literary notes about tincture (AI summary)
In literature, “tincture” is a versatile term that conveys both a literal and a figurative nuance. In some contexts, it refers to a precise medicinal extract prepared by macerating herbs in alcohol, as seen in detailed recipes and pharmacological texts [1, 2, 3]. At the same time, the word is employed metaphorically to suggest a trace or an essence of a quality, such as a slight hint of character or emotion—a “tincture of greediness” or “a tincture of learning,” for instance [4, 5, 6]. Additionally, in more specialized areas like heraldry, “tincture” describes specific colors or shades used to denote familial or symbolic attributes [7, 8]. This dual usage enriches the language by allowing the word to color both practical description and abstract insight.
- This tincture was prepared by macerating for one week in 150 grams of alcohol 30 grams of fresh bark finely divided.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - The dose of the powder is 1–4 grams, and of the alcoholic tincture, containing 20 parts kino to 100 of alcohol, 5–10 grams.
— from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera - Take of Castoreum in powder half an ounce, spirit of Castoreum half a pound, digest them ten days cold, strain it, and keep the Liquor for Tincture.
— from The Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper - dined with him; for, what was very astonishing in a monk, he was generous, profuse, and loved good cheer, without the least tincture of greediness.
— from The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau — Complete by Jean-Jacques Rousseau - All I possess is youth, health, courage, some intelligence, honour, honesty, and some tincture of letters.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova - At Florence ignorance is the rule and learning the exception, while at Bologna the tincture of letters is almost universal.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova - Though it may be and often is of an ordinary heraldic tincture, it will usually be found "proper."
— from A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies - By tincture or reflection they augment Thir small peculiar, though from human sight So farr remote, with diminution seen.
— from Paradise Lost by John Milton
