Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cocktail or mixed drink typically made with lime juice, carbonated water (such as club soda or seltzer), and a spirit (usually gin or bourbon), and often sweetened with sugar or syrup.

Usage

• The word "rickey" is a countable noun. It refers specifically to a type of beverage.
• It is often preceded by the name of the spirit used, e.g., a gin rickey or a bourbon rickey.

Examples

• Noun:
  • On a hot day, nothing is more refreshing than a cold, tart gin rickey.
  • The bartender's special rickey uses fresh-squeezed lime juice and a hint of simple syrup.

Advanced Usage

• The classic preparation is known for being less sweet than many other cocktails, emphasizing the tartness of the lime and the flavor of the base spirit.
• While traditionally made with gin or bourbon, modern variations may use other spirits like vodka or rum, but these are more accurately described as variations (e.g., a "vodka rickey").

Variants and Related Words

• Gin Rickey (n): The most traditional form of the drink, made with gin.
• Bourbon Rickey (n): A common variation made with bourbon whiskey.
• Highball (n): A broader category of mixed drinks made with a spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer, such as soda water. A rickey is a specific type of highball.

Synonyms

• Cocktail: A general term for any mixed alcoholic drink.
• Highball: A drink with spirit and a carbonated mixer served in a tall glass.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• (As) refreshing as a rickey: Used informally to describe something very cooling and revitalizing, akin to the drink's reputation.
  • The swim in the lake was as refreshing as a rickey on a summer porch.

Noun

1. a mixed drink made of sweetened lime juice and soda water usually with liquor