n. (US sirup) 1 a a sweet sauce made by dissolving sugar in boiling water, often used for preserving fruit etc. b a similar sauce of a specified flavour as a drink, medicine, etc. (rose-hip syrup). 2 condensed sugar-cane juice; part of this remaining uncrystallized at various stages of refining; molasses, treacle. 3 excessive sweetness of style or manner. syrupy adj.
[ ME f. OF sirop or med.L siropus f. Arab. sarab beverage: cf. SHERBET, SHRUB(2) ]