— wineless , adj. — winish , adj.
/wuyn/ , n., adj., v., wined, wining .
n.
1. the fermented juice of grapes, made in many varieties, such as red, white, sweet, dry, still, and sparkling, for use as a beverage, in cooking, in religious rites, etc., and usually having an alcoholic content of 14 percent or less.
2. a particular variety of such fermented grape juice: port and sherry wines.
3. the juice, fermented or unfermented, of various other fruits or plants, used as a beverage, sauce, etc.: gooseberry wine; currant wine.
4. a dark reddish color, as of red wines.
5. Pharm. vinum.
6. something that invigorates, cheers, or intoxicates like wine.
7. Brit.
a. a social gathering at which wine is the major beverage.
b. a party, esp. one held by university students, for drinking wine.
8. Obs. intoxication due to the drinking of wine.
9. new wine in old bottles , something new placed in or superimposed on an old or existing form, system, etc. Matt. 9:17.
adj.
10. dark red in color.
v.t.
11. to supply with wine: He wined his cellar with rare vintages.
v.i.
12. to drink wine.
13. wine and dine , to entertain lavishly: They wined and dined us in order to get us to sign the new contract.
[ bef. 900; ME (n.), OE win (c. D wijn, G Wein, ON vin, Goth wein ) vinum (c. Gk oînos ) ]