mountain dew

A man pours a glass of mountain dew from a bottle.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Illicitly distilled whisky: "mountain dew" refers to Scotch whisky that has been made illegally, often in remote or mountainous areas. This term is colloquial and informal.
   • A brand of soft drink: In modern usage, "mountain dew" is also the trademarked name of a popular carbonated soft drink, originally created in the United States.

Usage Examples

• Illicit whisky:

  • The old man shared a bottle of mountain dew he had hidden in the barn. (He shared illegally distilled whisky.)
  • During the prohibition era, many people made mountain dew in secret stills. (They produced illegal whisky in hidden locations.)

• Soft drink:

  • She ordered a can of Mountain Dew with her pizza. (She requested the branded soft drink.)
  • Mountain Dew is known for its high caffeine content and citrus flavor. (The soft drink is recognized for these qualities.)

Advanced Usage

• "a taste of mountain dew": a metaphor for something that is illicit, rustic, or associated with rebellion.

  • The novel gives readers a taste of mountain dew, with its tales of moonshiners and hidden stills. (It evokes the world of illegal whisky production.)

• "to make mountain dew": to produce illegal whisky.

  • He learned to make mountain dew from his grandfather, who was a moonshiner. (He learned the craft of distilling illicit spirits.)

Variants and Related Words

• Moonshine (noun): a synonym for illegally distilled whisky, especially in the United States.

  • The police confiscated several gallons of moonshine from the cabin. (They seized illegally made whisky.)

• Dew (noun, in this context): a poetic or informal term for whisky.

  • He poured a glass of the clear dew and offered it to his guest. (He served whisky.)

Synonyms

• Moonshine: illegally distilled alcohol, often made in rural areas.
• Hooch: slang for cheap or illegally produced alcohol.
• White lightning: a colloquial term for strong, clear, illegally distilled whisky.

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly applicable: "mountain dew" is a noun phrase and does not form phrasal verbs.

Related Idioms

• "Running moonshine": an idiom for smuggling or transporting illegal whisky.

  • He spent his youth running moonshine through the back roads. (He illegally transported whisky.)

• "A drop of the creature": an Irish idiom meaning a small amount of whisky, often used in a similar context to mountain dew.

  • He offered me a drop of the creature from his flask. (He offered a small amount of whisky.)