# gin

/ˈdʒɪn/ (US) · /dʒˈɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gin
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. alcoholic drink

noun · CEFR B1

a clear, strong alcoholic drink that is flavored with juniper berries.

For teachers: a clear distilled spirit flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals.

- He ordered a gin and tonic with a slice of lime.
- The distillery produces a premium gin using a secret blend of ten different botanicals sourced from around the Mediterranean.

### 2. cotton machine

noun · CEFR B2

a machine used to separate the seeds from cotton fibers.

For teachers: a machine, specifically a cotton gin, used to automate the separation of cotton fibers from their seeds.

- The invention of the cotton gin changed the textile industry forever.
- Eli Whitney's patent for the cotton gin in 1794 significantly increased the speed of processing raw cotton for the global market.

### 3. hoisting machine

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a machine or tripod used for lifting or moving very heavy objects.

For teachers: a mechanical device or tripod equipped with a windlass and pulleys for hoisting heavy loads.

- The miners used a wooden gin to lift the heavy buckets of ore to the surface.
- The historical site features a restored horse-drawn gin once used to pump water from the deep shafts of the local coal mine.

### 4. a trap

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a trap or snare used for catching small wild animals.

For teachers: a mechanical trap or snare designed to capture game.

- The poacher set a wire gin in the woods to catch a rabbit.
- In the old novel, the protagonist narrowly avoids a hidden gin set by the gamekeeper to deter trespassers.

### 5. to process cotton

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to use a machine to remove the seeds from cotton.

For teachers: to process raw cotton through a gin to separate the fibers from the seeds.

- The farmers had to gin all their cotton before they could sell it.
- The facility was designed to gin thousands of pounds of raw cotton daily during the peak harvest season.

## Examples

- He ordered a gin and tonic with extra ice.
- The bartender recommended a local craft gin that featured notes of lavender and citrus.
- The resurgence of artisanal distilleries has transformed gin from a mass-produced commodity into a sophisticated spirit with diverse regional profiles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.