lithen
verbEtymology From lithe (“a mixture of oatmeal and water”) + -en.
1
Dialectal To thicken a broth or gravy with a thickening agent (e.g. flour, oatmeal, etc.)
lithen
verb/ˈlaɪðən/
Etymology From Middle English *lithnien, equivalent to lithe + -en.
1
Archaic To make lithe, soften; to ease, mitigate
- “Nay, daughter, when thou art as old as Notte it will be time enough to reckon years!” returned the dark-skinned sybil, lithening the stiff folds of a viper in a blue oil, which cast out a noisome perfume as she stirred it.1874, Emma Robinson, Cæsar Borgia:
- "[…] I only know that for well-nigh all the stricken he hath lithened the fever, and that he hath recalled to life many an one whom the chirurgeon had given over to the chaplain."1914, Mary Johnston, Sir Mortimer, page 278: