Definition

1. Noun:

   • A soft, semi-solid food substance: A food preparation with a soft, elastic consistency, typically made by cooling a liquid containing gelatin or pectin until it sets. It is often sweet and fruit-flavored.
   • Any gelatinous substance: Any substance with a similar soft, quivering, semi-solid consistency.

2. Verb:

   • To congeal into a jelly-like state: To become or cause a liquid to become a jelly; to set or solidify into a gelatinous mass.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She spread grape jelly on her toast.
  • The dessert was a raspberry jelly served with cream.
  • The medicine had the consistency of a thick jelly.

• Verb:

  • The fruit juice will jelly if you add pectin and let it cool.
  • The chef jellied the consommé to make an aspic.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Culinary Use: In cooking, "to jelly" often refers to the process of setting a liquid using agents like gelatin, agar-agar, or pectin.
  • The goal is to jelly the broth without making it too firm.

Variants and Related Words

• Jell (verb): An informal variant meaning to set or congeal, or metaphorically, for a plan or idea to take definite form.
  • Our plans for the event finally jelled.
• Jellied (adjective): Describes food that has been prepared or set in jelly.
  • jellied eels
• Jelly-like (adjective): Having the texture or appearance of jelly.
• Jellify (verb): A more formal synonym meaning to make into or become jelly.

Synonyms

• Gelatin (noun): Specifically refers to the protein substance used to make jellies.
• Aspic (noun): A savory jelly made with meat stock.
• Preserve (noun): A general term for fruit preserved with sugar, which includes jams and jellies. (Note: A jelly is a specific type of clear preserve without fruit pulp.)
• Congeal (verb): To change from a fluid to a solid state, often used for fats or blood as well as foods.

Related Phrases

• Jelly bean: A small bean-shaped sugar candy with a hard shell and gelatinous center.
• Jellyfish: A marine animal with a soft, gelatinous bell and trailing tentacles.

Idioms

• To shake like a jelly: To tremble violently from fear or cold.
  • He was shaking like a jelly before his speech.
• To turn to jelly: (Of legs, knees) to become weak and unable to support one, typically due to fear or shock.
  • When I heard the noise, my legs turned to jelly.

Noun

1. any substance having the consistency of jelly or gelatin
2. a preserve made of the jelled juice of fruit
3. an edible jelly (sweet or pungent) made with gelatin and used as a dessert or salad base or a coating for foods

Verb

1. make into jelly
   • jellify a liquid