I. ˈlikə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English licour, liquour, from Old French licour, liqueur, from Latin liquor, from liquēre to be fluid — more at liquid
: a liquid substance: as
a. : something drunk as a beverage (as water, milk, fruit juice) ; especially : a usually strong distilled alcoholic beverage (as whiskey, rum) rather than a fermented one (as wine, beer)
b.
(1) : the liquid in which meat or vegetables have been cooked : broth
(2) : the juice of meat given off during cooking and often combined with a thickening agent and spices and served with the meat : gravy
(3) : a dressing or sauce served with foods
(4) : the juice contained in oysters or clams
c. : sugarcane sap that has not been crystallized to sugar
d. : a solution of a medicinal substance usually in water — distinguished from tincture
e. : a solution or emulsion or suspension used or obtained in an industrial process : bath 2b
scouring liquor for wool
dye liquor
waste liquors
as
(1) : a solution of a chemical used in digesting raw materials for cellulosic pulp
soda liquor
— see sulfite liquor
(2) : the liquid drained from such pulp at the end of the cook — see black liquor
(3) : ammonia liquor
(4) : bleach liquor
(5) : iron liquor
(6) : fat liquor
•
- in liquor
II. verb
( liquored ; liquored ; liquoring -k(ə)riŋ ; liquors )
transitive verb
1. : to treat with a liquid substance: as
a. archaic
(1) : to dress (as leather) with an oily or greasy liquid substance
(2) : to cover or smear with a greasy or oily lubricant
b. : to steep or soak in or with a liquid (as in various industrial processes or as in the preparation of some foods)
2. : to ply with alcoholic liquor (as whiskey, rum) — usually used with up
had been pretty well liquored up by his friends by the time she found him
intransitive verb
: to drink alcoholic liquor especially in large quantities — usually used with up
sit down amid a lot of bottles and liquor up — Coulton Waugh
after they had been married awhile he started up his liquoring again — Helen Rich