# liquor

/ˈɫɪkɝ/ (US) · /lˈɪkɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/liquor
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 3. parsley sauce

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

a green parsley sauce served with traditional British pie and mash.

For teachers: a specific savoury parsley sauce traditionally served in London pie-and-mash shops.

- He ordered a traditional beef pie with a side of mash and plenty of green liquor.
- The authentic London experience requires the pie to be submerged in a generous portion of parsley liquor rather than standard gravy.

### 4. industrial liquid

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a liquid used in a factory process to dissolve or change something.

For teachers: a solution of chemicals used in industrial processes, particularly in papermaking or tanning.

- The factory treated the spent liquor before releasing it into the drainage system.
- In the pulping process, the black liquor is recovered and processed to reclaim inorganic chemicals for reuse in the plant.

### 5. to provide alcohol

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to give someone a lot of alcohol to drink.

For teachers: to supply someone with intoxicating drink, often with the intent of making them drunk.

- They tried to liquor him up before asking for a favour.
- The lobbyists were known to liquor up the delegates in hopes of influencing the final vote on the trade agreement.

Usage: Usually appears in the phrasal form 'liquor up'.

## Examples

- The store sells many types of liquor.
- The restaurant has a license to serve beer and wine but cannot sell hard liquor.
- The recipe for the traditional fruitcake requires the dried currants to be soaked in high-proof liquor for several days to ensure both flavor and preservation.

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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.