bisque
/bisk/
Definition
- Noun:
- A thick, creamy soup: A rich soup, typically made from puréed shellfish (such as lobster, crab, or shrimp), vegetables, cream, and often wine or brandy.
- An unglazed white porcelain: A type of fine, white, unglazed ceramic material, often used for decorative figurines or dolls.
- A point or advantage in certain games: In sports like tennis or croquet, an extra point or stroke granted to a weaker player as a handicap.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Soup):
- For the first course, the chef prepared a delicious lobster bisque.
- She ordered a bowl of creamy tomato bisque.
- Noun (Ceramics):
- The antique shop had a collection of delicate bisque dolls from the 19th century.
- The sculptor preferred bisque for its matte, skin-like finish.
- Noun (Sports):
- In the club tournament, the novice player received a bisque of one point per set.
Advanced Usage
- "To have a bisque": To possess an advantage or handicap point that can be taken at any chosen moment during a game.
- He saved his bisque until the final, crucial game.
Variants and Related Words
- Bisk (noun): An archaic or alternative spelling for "bisque," primarily referring to the soup.
- Bisque firing (noun): The initial firing of ceramic ware before it is glazed.
Synonyms
- Chowder: A thick soup or stew, often containing seafood, but typically chunkier than a bisque.
- Porcelain: A ceramic material; bisque is a specific type of unglazed porcelain.
- Handicap: An advantage given to a less skilled player; a bisque is a specific form of this.
Related Phrases
- "Bisque doll": A doll with a head made of unglazed porcelain.
- The museum's exhibit featured rare French bisque dolls.
Related Idioms
- No direct idioms are commonly formed with the word "bisque."
Noun
-
a thick cream soup made from shellfish
