Turnspit

Definition

A small dog breed, historically bred to run inside a wheel-driven mechanism to rotate meat over a fire, or the person who performed this task in a kitchen. The breed is now extinct, though the term persists in culinary and historical contexts.

Example Usage

The medieval kitchen relied on a turnspit to keep the roasting meat turning at a steady pace.

Origin

From 'turn' + 'spit', referring to the rotation of the cooking spit over flames.

Fun Fact

Turnspits were often small, short-legged dogs that could fit inside the wheel mechanism; their bones sometimes show deformation from years of running.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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