Ambigu

ambigu a distinctive sort of evening meal, or supper, which enjoyed some popularity among the upper classes of England from roughly the middle of the 17th century until the middle of the 18th. It was less formal than a dinner, but was nonetheless carefully planned and provided substantial fare. The meaning of the French word which was appropriated to use in England in this way can be ‘a mixture of different things’, and this meaning was reflected in the wide variety of dishes laid out on the ‘sideboard’ for an ambigu. The dishes were mainly cold, as for a supper.