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congee

Pronunciation: /ˈkɑnd͡ʒi/

The English word “congee” has 11 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. Leave, formal permission for some action, (originally and particularly)
  2. Formal permission to leave; a passport.
  3. Formal dismissal; (figurative) any dismissal; (originally & particularly humorously ironic) abrupt dismissal without ceremony.
  4. Formal leavetaking; (figurative) any farewell.
  5. A fee paid to make another go away, (particularly) alms to a persistent beggar.
  6. A bow, curtsey, or other gesture (originally) made at departure but (later) including at greeting or in obeissance or respect.
  7. A type of thick rice porridge or soup, sometimes prepared with vegetables and/or meat.

verb

  1. To give formal permission to leave; to dismiss.
  2. To give formal permission to do something; to license.
  3. To take congee: to leave ceremoniously.
  4. To make a congee: to bow, curtsey, etc., (particularly dialectal) while leaving; (figuratively) to make obeissance, show respect, or defer to someone or something.

Etymology

From late Middle English congie, from Old French congié, congiet (modern French congé), from Latin commeātus (“passage, permission to leave”), from commeō (“to go and come”), from con- + meō (“to go, to pass”). Figurative senses generally borrowed from developments in French congé.

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.