Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Wiktionary
alt. 1 A round or oval sweet/piece of candy made of boiled sugar. 2 Term of endearment; sweetheart, darling. n. 1 A round or oval sweet/piece of candy made of boiled sugar. 2 Term of endearment; sweetheart, darling.
Usage examples of "sugar-plum".
All the Albanians had their pockets full of it, and they enjoyed a piece of garlic with as much relish as we do a sugar-plum.
After the usual compliments--and in this case they bore the stamp of sincerity--the bride distributed among all the girls of the village, who were in the adjoining room, packets full of sugar-plums which had been prepared before hand, and she took leave of them, kissing them all without any pride.
And the same berries are chosen in England to furnish the kernel for a very nice sugar-plum.
Bedsteads would at night tumble down under their occupants, ghosts were personated, diuretic pills or sugar-plums were given to young ladies, as well as comfits who produced certain winds rising from the netherlands, and impossible to keep under control.
The wonderful old witch, after lavishing caresses upon me, takes off my clothes, lays me on the bed, burns some drugs, gathers the smoke in a sheet which she wraps around me, pronounces incantations, takes the sheet off me, and gives me five sugar-plums of a very agreeable taste.
All the Albanians had their pockets full of it, and they enjoyed a piece of garlic with as much relish as we do a sugar-plum.
What is the smallest number of sugar-plums there could have been at the start, and what proportion did each boy obtain?