cocktail
/ˈkɑk.teɪl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.89 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
noun
A mixture of other substances or things.
Example Sentences
- "They visited a bar noted for its wide range of cocktails."
- "[...] a certain candidate has placed in his account of Loss and Gain, the following items:-- LOSS [...] 411 glasses bitters[,] 25 do. cock-tail"
- "Cock tail, then, is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters — it is vulgarly called bittered sling, and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head."
- "Deane opened the fray by declaring, à propos of dinners, that the only proper way to create a cocktail of the genus Martini was to add a half-spoonful of sherry after the other ingredients had been satisfactorily mixed, if at all."
- "He moved majestically down to mix the cocktails. As he chipped ice, as he squeezed oranges, as he collected vast stores of bottles, glasses, and spoons at the sink in the pantry, he felt as authoritative as the bartender at Healey Hanson's saloon."
- "The cocktail in Britain is a rigidly-defined social institution: each has its own particular meaning—the G & T is the alcoholic equivalent of the interview suit; Pernod and black is an alternative to glue sniffing for repentant trendies, etc."
Etymology
Early 17th century, from cock (“male bird”) + tail, in the sense “(a horse with its) tail standing up, like a cock’s”. The origin of the extension to “an alcoholic mixed drink” is unknown. One theory is that it refers to a stimulant (gingering), hence a stimulating drink; compare pick-me-up. Another attested use is for non-thoroughbred racehorses: these were considered "cock-tailed" due to their docked tails. This may have led to the term "cocktail" (sense 1) being used for an adulterated spirit.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkɑk.teɪl/
- British English: /ˈkɒk.teɪl/
Usage
- British usage
- Dated
- Slang
- Obsolete
- Transitive verb
Inflected Forms
cocktails (plural)
ckt (abbreviation)
more cocktail (comparative)
most cocktail (superlative)
cocktails (present, singular)
cocktailing (participle, present)
cocktailed (participle, past)
cocktailed (past)