Definition

1. Noun:
   • A chemical substance: Any of a large class of organic compounds characterized by one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups attached to a carbon atom. Ethanol is the most common type.
   • An intoxicating beverage: A drink, such as beer, wine, or spirits, that contains ethanol, produced by fermenting sugars with yeast.

Usage

• As a chemical compound:
  • The laboratory uses pure alcohol as a solvent.
  • Isopropyl alcohol is commonly used as a disinfectant.
• As a beverage:
  • The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors.
  • He decided to avoid alcohol for health reasons.

Advanced Usage

• "Under the influence of alcohol": Legally or medically intoxicated by drinking alcoholic beverages.
  • He was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
• "Denatured alcohol": Ethanol that has additives to make it poisonous and unfit for consumption, used as a solvent or fuel.
  • Denatured alcohol is used in camping stoves.

Variants and Related Words

• Alcoholic (adj): Containing or related to alcohol.
  • Alcoholic beverages are taxed heavily.
• Alcoholic (n): A person who suffers from alcoholism, a chronic disorder involving compulsive alcohol use.
  • He sought help at a meeting for alcoholics.
• Alcoholism (n): An addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor; the disease characterized by this addiction.
• Non-alcoholic (adj): Containing no alcohol.
  • She ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail.

Synonyms

• Ethanol (n): The specific type of alcohol in alcoholic drinks; also called ethyl alcohol.
• Spirits (n): Strong distilled alcoholic liquor (e.g., whiskey, vodka).
• Liquor (n): A distilled alcoholic beverage.
• Booze (n, informal): Alcoholic drink.

Related Phrases

• Proof against alcohol: A measure of the strength of an alcoholic beverage, with "proof" being roughly double the percentage of alcohol by volume.
  • This whiskey is 80 proof, meaning it contains 40% alcohol.

Idioms

• Dutch courage: False courage gained from drinking alcohol.
  • He had a shot of whiskey for Dutch courage before his speech. (Note: The word 'alcohol' itself is not commonly used in a wide range of phrasal verbs or idioms. The related idioms typically involve the act of drinking or the state of intoxication, using words like "drink" instead.)

Noun

1. any of a series of volatile hydroxyl compounds that are made from hydrocarbons by distillation
2. a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent
   • alcohol (or drink) ruined him