cocktail

CEFRC1

/ˈkɒk.teɪl/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A mixed alcoholic drink.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A horse, not of pure breed, but having only one eighth or one sixteenth impure blood in its veins.

Examples

  • A Cuba Libre is a cocktail with a rum base.

  • Cocktail parties can be boring.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈkɔk.tæɪl/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A mixture of other substances or things.

  2. A mixed alcoholic beverage.

  3. A species of rove beetle, so called from its habit of elevating the tail.

More examples

In context

  • Scientists found a cocktail of pollutants in the river downstream from the chemical factory.

  • They visited a bar noted for its wide range of cocktails.

  • a cocktail of illegal drugs

Synonyms

Quick test

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Origin

noun

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.