Liquor: Definition, Usage & Distilled Spirits Explained

Meaning 1：distilled spirits (liquor)

liquor 🔊

/ˈlɪk.ər/

A strong alcoholic drink, like whisky, vodka, or Chinese baijiu.

distilled spirits 🔊

➕

/dɪˈstɪld ˈspɪr.ɪts/

A general term for strong, distilled alcoholic beverages with a high alcohol content, such as whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, or baijiu.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'liquor', meaning 'fluid' or 'to be liquid'. Related to 'liquid'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a LIQUid that makes you act quOR-kier. It's a strong, distilled liquid.

📖 Example

The top shelf in the supermarket is reserved for various kinds of liquor, like whisky and vodka. 🔊 A variety of distilled spirits, including whiskey and vodka, are displayed on the supermarket's top shelf.

🔗 Collocations

hard liquor – A term for strong, distilled alcoholic beverages like whiskey, gin, or vodka.

liquor store – A shop that primarily sells alcoholic beverages.

to be in liquor – An old-fashioned phrase meaning to be drunk or intoxicated.

🔄 Synonyms

spirits (n.) – Synonymous with liquor, referring to distilled alcoholic drinks.

booze (n.) – An informal, general term for alcoholic drinks.

hard drink (n.) – A phrase emphasizing the high alcohol content of distilled beverages.

🚫 Antonyms

soft drink (n.) – A non-alcoholic, carbonated beverage.

water (n.) – A clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid that is non-alcoholic.

🌱 Derivatives

liquorish (adj.) – An archaic or rare form meaning fond of alcoholic drink.

liquorice (n.) – A plant root used in confectionery; unrelated in meaning but shares the same etymological root.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'liquor' entered English from Old French 'licour' in the 13th century, originally meaning any liquid. By the 14th century, it narrowed to specifically mean a distilled alcoholic spirit, reflecting the rise of distillation technology in Europe.