1A colourless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the natural fermentation of sugars and is the intoxicating constituent of wine, beer, spirits, and other drinks, and is also used as an industrial solvent and as fuel.

Alternative names: ethanol, ethyl alcohol; chemical formula: C₂H₅OH

1. 1.1 Drink containing alcohol.
   酒
   he has not taken alcohol in twenty-five years

   他有25年不喝酒了。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • On the same night Gavin was also plied with alcohol, served up in a soft drinks can, Star claimed.
   • After all, they go to the pub to meet with friends and drink alcohol, which they are still free to do.
   • She told him that she was not going to serve him any more alcohol, and asked if he wanted her to call a cab.
   • I heard it was because of the elections, and they were not allowed to serve any kind of alcohol.
   • In those days Bettys had a licence and served alcohol and was a magnet for servicemen of many Allied nations.
   • However, she admitted she had never seen Jackson serve the youngsters alcohol..
   • This would allow alcohol to be served after normal pub hours only to customers who were having a table meal.
   • The new bill would make it an offence to serve alcohol to people who are drunk.
   • Shop owner Mr Kirby said he had earlier refused to serve the youth alcohol, and he had left without any trouble.
   • Premises which continue to serve alcohol without a renewed licence will be liable to prosecution.
   • There's a town just before the Sahara and it's the last one that serves alcohol and it's our duty to stock up.
   • More than 20 pubs in the district have been granted permission to open and serve alcohol for the game.
   • Some bars served alcohol in a number of enterprising ways to try and fool the authorities.
   • The policy of Irish Rail to serve alcohol on their trains has therefore always puzzled me.
   • He said that among the tenets of the Muslim faith were that one did not drink alcohol or serve it to guests.
   • If you are using alcohol, vodka is the most appropriate as it has no scent of its own.
   • When you get tired of drinking at home, why not go out and drink the same alcohol at twice the price down the pub?
   • They also plan to prosecute if bar staff continue to serve alcohol to people who are drunk.
   • This is why men often seem to be able to drink more alcohol than women.
   • If he could have stopped at one or two drinks, alcohol would have served him well, but he couldn't do that.

   Synonyms

   liquor, intoxicating liquor, alcoholic drink, strong drink, drink, spirits, intoxicants

   informal booze, hooch, the hard stuff, firewater, gut-rot, rotgut, moonshine, tipple, the demon drink, the bottle, juice, bevvy, grog, Dutch courage, John Barleycorn

   technical ethyl alcohol, ethanol
2. 1.2Chemistry count noun Any organic compound whose molecule contains one or more hydroxyl groups attached to a carbon atom.
   〔化〕醇
   unpleasant stuff like formaldehyde is produced as alcohols burn

   polyvinyl alcohol

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The compounds generally referred to as feather waxes consist of fatty acids condensed with alcohols to form esters, such as triglycerides.
   • Esters can be used to manufacture tertiary alcohols by using a Grignard reagent.
   • Naturally derived materials include chemicals used fatty acids and alcohols used in detergents and other industrial applications.
   • Many chemicals found in common perfumes and fragrances are designated as ‘hazardous’, including methylene chloride, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethyl alcohol and benzyl chloride.
   • a class of chemical compounds midway between the alcohols and the organic acids in their state of oxidation.
   • Many alkyl halides, alcohols, or alkenes can be reacted with benzene in the presence of certain catalysts to give an alkyl benzene.
   • Thermatoga microorganisms are known to play a role in the anaerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons to alcohols, organic acids and carbon dioxide.
   • In a similar way, both hydroxide ions and water molecules may act as nucleophiles by reacting with alkyl halides to produce alcohols.
   • It is a mixture of esters of alcohols and acids, and some high molecular weight hydrocarbons.
   • Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, ethers, glycols and higher alcohols are not corrosive to magnesium and its alloys.
   • Polyurethanes are created from dihydric alcohols and diisocyanate monomers.
   • Complete combustion of alcohols produces carbon dioxide and water.
   • On the other hand, the permeability of the membrane for small uncharged solutes such as low molecular weight alcohols, amides, ketones etc., did not change.
   • It is about four times as strong as most real ales, with an alcohol by volume of 11 per cent.
   • They are either reduced by glutathione peroxidases to unreactive fatty acid alcohols or they react with metals to produce epoxides, aldehydes, etc.
   • Like other acids, it reacts with most alcohols to form esters and decomposes when heated; it is also easily oxidized.
   • Functional groups (such as alcohols, acids, and amines) are identified in organic chemistry.
   • Solvents permitted in the UK for extraction include acetone, hexane, ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide.
   • The volatile profile of fruits determined by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy is complex, including many alcohols, aldehydes and esters.
   • Over time, however, it oxidizes and chemically degrades to form alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, acids and esters.