Definition

Noun: A beverage containing ethanol, produced by fermenting sugars with yeast. This term refers specifically to the liquid consumable containing alcohol as its intoxicating agent.

Usage

The term "alcoholic drink" is a formal and general noun used to categorize beverages like beer, wine, and spirits. It is often used in legal, medical, and general descriptive contexts to distinguish these beverages from non-alcoholic ones.

Examples

• The law prohibits the sale of alcoholic drinks to minors.
• He decided to abstain from all alcoholic drinks for health reasons.
• The menu had a wide selection of alcoholic drinks and cocktails.

Advanced Usage

• "Alcoholic drink" as a countable noun: It is typically used as a countable noun (e.g., "an alcoholic drink," "several alcoholic drinks").
• In formal or technical writing, "alcoholic beverage" is a common synonym.

Variants and Related Words

• Alcohol (noun): The specific chemical compound (ethanol) found in these drinks, or a more general term for such beverages (e.g., "He has a problem with alcohol").
• Liquor (noun): Specifically refers to distilled alcoholic drinks like whiskey, vodka, or rum.
• Brew (noun): Often refers to beer or other fermented drinks, especially when discussing the production process.

Synonyms

• Intoxicant
• Alcoholic beverage
• Spirits (for distilled drinks)
• Booze (informal)

Related Phrases

• Hard drink: A phrase referring to distilled spirits with high alcohol content, as opposed to beer or wine.
• Strong drink: An older or more formal phrase meaning alcoholic drink, often with connotations of potency.

Related Idioms

• The demon drink: An idiom personifying alcohol as a destructive force or addiction.
  • After years of struggle, he finally overcame the demon drink.

Noun

1. a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent
   • alcohol (or drink) ruined him