Definition

Noun: A person who illegally produces or sells alcoholic beverages, typically in secret to avoid government regulation and taxation. The term is strongly associated with the clandestine distillation of spirits, particularly in rural areas of the United States.

Usage

The word "moonshiner" specifically refers to an individual engaged in the illegal activity of distilling or selling untaxed liquor. It is a countable noun.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The moonshiner operated his still deep in the forest to avoid detection by the authorities.
  • During Prohibition, many farmers became moonshiners to supplement their income.
  • The old moonshiner was known for the high quality of his illicit whiskey.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Cultural Context: The term evokes a specific historical period, especially the Prohibition era in the United States (1920-1933), and is often associated with Appalachian culture and folklore.
• Figurative Use: It can sometimes be used metaphorically to describe someone who operates in a secretive, unregulated, or rebellious manner, though this is less common.
  • He was a digital moonshiner, creating software that bypassed the platform's rules.

Variants and Related Words

• Moonshine (noun): The illegally produced liquor itself.
  • They were caught transporting barrels of moonshine.
• Moonshining (noun/gerund): The act or practice of illegally distilling liquor.
  • Moonshining was a dangerous but profitable business.

Synonyms

• Bootlegger: A person who makes, distributes, or sells illegal goods, especially alcohol. (Note: A bootlegger may transport and sell liquor made by others, while a moonshiner typically makes it.)
• Illicit distiller: A more formal term.
• Rum-runner: Specifically someone who smuggles illegal liquor by sea.

Idioms and Phrases

• No specific idioms are formed with the single word "moonshiner." The related term "moonshine" features in idioms like "shoot the moon" or "moonlight," but these are not directly derived from or related to the meaning of "moonshiner."

Noun

1. someone who makes or sells illegal liquor