from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. A small cone or mass made of paste of gum, benzoin, cinnamon, and other aromatics, -- used for fumigating or scenting the air of a room.
- n. An aromatic or medicated lozenge, especially one used to soothe a sore throat; a troche.
- n. See Pastel, a crayon.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A small roll of aromatic paste, composed of gum-benzoin, sandalwood, spices, charcoal-powder, etc., designed to be burned as a fumigator, disinfectant, etc.
- n. A kind of sugared confection, usually of strong flavor, of a round flat shape, like peppermint-drops.
- n. In art: A thin round cake of water-color, of French origin, in consistency between the old hard cake and the tube-color.
- n. The method of painting with colors prepared as pastils, or a drawing produced by means of them.
- n. In pyrotechny, a paper case filled with a burning composition, intended to cause the rotation of a wheel or similar object to the periphery of which it is attached, on the principle of the pin-wheel or catharine-wheel.
- To burn pastils; fumigate.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. a medicated lozenge used to soothe the throat
Sorry, no etymologies found.
When she saw that the wine had gotten the better of his senses, she thrust her hand into her bosom and brought out a pastil of virgin
"Throw open the door of the boudoir, Aminadab," said Aylmer, "and burn a pastil."
It was his wont to paste up long altar-pieces of Liana's charms, charms which her father had sought to enhance by means of delicate and almost meagre fare, by shutting up his orangery, whose window he seldom lifted off from this flower of a milder clime -- until she had become a tender creature of pastil-dust, which the gusts of fate and monsoons of climate could almost blow to pieces.
"Well, then, let it be so," said Monte-Cristo sternly, as he took a greenish, strongly smelling pastil from a box cut from an opal.
Maximilian embraced his friend and swallowed the pastil.
When she saw that the wine had gotten the better of his senses, she thrust her hand into her bosom and brought out a pastil of virgin Cretan-Bhang, which she had provided against such an hour, whereof if an elephant smelt a dirham's weight, he would sleep from year to year.
The use of charcoal in a pastil is merely for burning, producing, during its combustion, the heat required to quickly volatilize the perfuming material with which it is surrounded.
After well beating in a mortar, the pastils are formed in shape with a pastil mould, and gradually dried.
Now a well-made pastil should not develope any odor of its own, but simply volatilize that fragrant matter, whatever it be, used in its manufacture.
The product of the combustion of charcoal is inodorous, and therefore does not in any way interfere with the fragrance of the pastil.