white lightning

American  

noun

Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

1. moonshine.

---

Etymology

Origin of white lightning

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

Seeing the navy uniform with gold-lined white lightning bolts “struck me at the core,” Jefferson said.

From Los Angeles Times

“Our relationship is really tight, obviously, to give him a little handoffs here and there, you know, somebody said they call him ‘White Lightning,'” Wilson said with a chuckle.

From Seattle Times

Others to pay tribute included comedian Patton Oswalt, who said Beatty had given "chilling, villainous turns" in 1973's White Lightning and 1976's Mikey and Nicky.

From BBC

He was equally memorable as Otis, the idiot henchman of villainous Lex Luther in the first two Christopher Reeve “Superman” movies and as the racist sheriff in “White Lightning.”

From Seattle Times

But an unshakable belief pushed Coe to put Season 2’s spotlight on Jones, who is responsible for dozens of essential country recordings, including “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “White Lightning,” “The Grand Tour” and “A Good Year for the Roses.”

From Los Angeles Times