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  1. anchovy love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A small, herringlike marine fish of the family Engraulidae, especially the European fish (Engraulis encrasicholus), widely used in appetizers and various dishes.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. An abdominal malacopterygious fish, of the genus Stolephorus or Engraulis, family Stolephoridæ. The species are all of diminutive size, and inhabitants of most tropical and temperate seas. Only one species, S. encrasicholus, is known upon the European coasts, but fifteen approach those of the United States. The common anchovy of Europe, S. encrasicholus, esteemed for its rich and peculiar flavor, is not much larger than the middle finger. It is caught in vast numbers in the Mediterranean, and pickled for exportation. A sauce held in much esteem is made from anchovies by pounding them in water, simmering the mixture for a short time, adding a little cayenne pepper, and straining the whole through a hair sieve.

Wiktionary

  1. n. Any small saltwater fish of the Engraulidae family, consisting of 160 species in 16 genera, of which the genus Engraulis is widely sold as food.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. (Zoöl.) A small fish, about three inches in length, of the Herring family (Engraulis encrasicholus), caught in vast numbers in the Mediterranean, and pickled for exportation. The name is also applied to several allied species.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. tiny fishes usually canned or salted; used for hors d'oeuvres or as seasoning in sauces
  2. n. small herring-like plankton-eating fishes often canned whole or as paste; abundant in tropical waters worldwide

Etymologies

  1. From Spanish anchova, perhaps ultimately from Basque. (Wiktionary)
  2. Spanish anchova, possibly from Vulgar Latin *apiuva, ultimately from Greek aphuē. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “It is sold in little glass vials, sometimes under the label anchovy extract or syrup, whose instructions advise you to toss it with pasta, garlic, red pepper, and olive oil.”

    The Kitchn

  • “You can always saute the crumbs with butter (adding a bit of minced garlic or anchovy is also good) if you want further toasting before using them as a pasta or casserole topping or whatever.”

    I'll Never Buy Breadcrumbs Again

  • “Their target is the larger "industrial" vessels, after a "vertiginous fall" in anchovy catches in the Bay of Biscay.”

    Frog eats Frog

  • “This was known as the anchovy, but oftener as the candle-fish; it is so fat that it may be burned like a torch, or candle.”

    First Across the Continent; The Story of The Exploring Expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5-6

  • “Boquerones are a kind of anchovy, usually served in vinegar rather than oil, but this is not quite the way to say it.”

    11 posts from April 2010

  • “For example, the blooms of jellyfish that have increased rapidly worldwide in the last decade are believed to result in part from “fishing down the food web” – as fisheries depleted large predators they turned to smaller, plankton-feeding fishes such as anchovy and sprat, whose removal allowed zooplankton populations to increase, providing abundant food for jellyfish.”

    Marine biodiversity and food security

  • “DRM doesn't work and consumers don't want it, so of course it's very appealing to big business, who are also in a big rush to sell other, equally practical products, such as anchovy flavored ice cream and bicycles with square wheels.”

    Boing Boing: February 8, 2004 - February 14, 2004 Archives

  • “Zests are sometimes served at the close of the dessert; such as anchovy toasts or biscuits.”

    The Book of Household Management

  • “Raising these species is an exercise in "reducing" fish to produce fish-that is, in turning certain fish, usually smaller species such as anchovy, herring, capelin, and whiting, into feed for other, typically larger, species.”

    Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit News

Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘anchovy’.

Comments

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  • hernesheir Railroad telegraphers' shorthand for "Can it be altered?" --US Railway Association, Standard Cipher Code, 1906. Jan 19, 2013

  • hernesheir Who knows how to plait a hair-sieve these days? Jan 5, 2012

  • ruzuzu Wanted: Long-haired anchovy lover for evening of fish pounding and mixture simmering. Must like cayenne pepper. Jan 5, 2012

  • yarb I'd just throw up a craigslist ad. I bet there are more long-haired anchovy lovers in your town than you think. I'd offer my own hair - I'm due to have my ears lowered - but the quantity would only suffice for a thimble-sized sieve, and thus for a ramekin's worth of the fishy elixir. Jan 5, 2012

  • ruzuzu I'm trying to imagine how I'd start that particular conversation. Any advice? Jan 5, 2012

  • yarb Then you should make one of those, too. You must know somebody who needs a haircut. Offer to let them have some of the anchovy sauce if they donate their locks. Jan 5, 2012

  • ruzuzu I would, of course, except I'm fresh out of hair sieves. Jan 5, 2012

  • yarb That sounds horrible. You should make it, ruzuzu. Jan 5, 2012

  • ruzuzu I like this bit from the Century: "A sauce held in much esteem is made from anchovies by pounding them in water, simmering the mixture for a short time, adding a little cayenne pepper, and straining the whole through a hair sieve."
    Jan 5, 2012

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‘anchovy’ has been looked up 1643 times, loved by 1 person, added to 15 lists, commented on 9 times, and has a Scrabble score of 18.