bisk
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of soup: "bisk" is an alternative spelling of "bisque," referring to a rich, creamy soup made from shellfish (such as lobster, crab, or shrimp) or from game birds. It is typically smooth and velvety in texture.
- A game term: In tennis or croquet, a "bisk" (or "bisque") can refer to a free point or extra turn granted to a player as a handicap.
Usage Examples
Noun (soup):
- The chef prepared a delicious lobster bisk for the dinner party. (A creamy soup made from lobster.)
- She ordered a bowl of shrimp bisk to start her meal. (A soup made from shrimp.)
Noun (game):
- In the croquet match, he was given a bisk to even the odds. (An extra turn allowed as a handicap.)
Advanced Usage
"to have a bisk": to receive a free point or turn in a game.
- The tennis player was awarded a bisk due to the opponent's error. (A free point in the game.)
"bisk of game": a soup made from game birds, such as pheasant or partridge.
- The restaurant’s special was a bisk of game, served with croutons. (A soup made from wild birds.)
Variants and Related Words
Bisque (n): the more common spelling of "bisk," referring to the same soup or game term.
- The bisque was garnished with fresh herbs. (The soup was decorated with herbs.)
Bisqueware (n): unglazed pottery that has been fired once, unrelated to the soup.
- The artist painted the bisqueware with a blue glaze. (Pottery that has been fired but not glazed.)
Synonyms
- Soup: a liquid food, often served hot, made by boiling ingredients.
- Chowder: a thick soup, usually containing seafood and cream (similar to bisque but chunkier).
Idioms
- "Not a bisk of difference": a rare, informal phrase meaning no difference at all.
- There’s not a bisk of difference between those two recipes. (They are identical.)