liquor

American  

[lik-er, lik-wawr] / ˈlɪk ər, ˈlɪk wɔr /

noun

liquors plural

1. a distilled or spirituous beverage, as brandy or whiskey, as distinguished from a fermented beverage, as wine or beer.

2. any liquid substance, as broth from cooked meats or vegetables.

   Synonyms:

   juice

3. Pharmacology. solution.

4. a solution of a substance, especially a concentrated one used in the industrial arts.

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verb (used with object)

1. Informal. to furnish or ply with liquor to drink (often followed byup ).

verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to drink large quantities of liquor (often followed byup ).

liquor British  

/ ˈlɪkə /

noun

1. any alcoholic drink, esp spirits, or such drinks collectively

2. any liquid substance, esp that in which food has been cooked

3. pharmacol a solution of a pure substance in water

4. brewing warm water added to malt to form wort

5. drunk; intoxicated

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verb

1. brewing to steep (malt) in warm water to form wort; mash

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antiliquor
  adjective
• liquory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• liquors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of liquor

1175–1225; < Latin: a liquid, originally liquidity ( liqu ( ēre ) to be liquid + -or -or ¹ ); replacing Middle English lic ( o ) ur < Old French ( French liqueur ) < Latin liquōrem, accusative of liquor

Related Words

• alcohol
• booze
• whiskey