cocktail
1any of various mixed drinks, consisting typically of gin, whiskey, rum, vodka, or brandy, with different admixtures, as vermouth, fruit juices, or flavorings, usually chilled and frequently sweetened.
a portion of food, as seafood served with a sauce or a mixture of fruits cut into pieces, served as an appetizer or first course: a shrimp cocktail;a fruit cocktail.
a mixture of various drugs usually a beverage or solution: a liquid drug cocktail for terminal patients;a cocktail of pills taken twice a day.
any diverse mixture of elements, especially one with a powerful effect: an impressive cocktail of skills and experiences.
to drink cocktails, especially at a cocktail party: They cocktailed before going to the theater.
(of women's clothing) styled for semiformal wear: a knee-length cocktail dress.
of, pertaining to, used in, or suitable to the serving of cocktails: cocktail onions;cocktail napkins.
Origin of cocktail
1Words Nearby cocktail
Other definitions for cocktail (2 of 2)
a horse with a docked tail.
a horse that is not a thoroughbred.
a man of little breeding who passes for a gentleman.
Origin of cocktail
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use cocktail in a sentence
At least 33 states and the District of Columbia are temporarily allowing cocktails to-go during the pandemic.
Number of states allowing to-go cocktails has surged from 2 to 33 during coronavirus | Lee Clifford | August 24, 2020 | FortuneThis reduces demand for all types of liquors, but particularly high-end liquors used for cocktails.
Covid-19 and a trade war are a deadly mix for US liquor imports | Dan Kopf | August 21, 2020 | QuartzFor straightforward scenarios like this one, the calculation might fit on a cocktail napkin.
The Mathematical Structure of Particle Collisions Comes Into View | Charlie Wood | August 20, 2020 | Quanta MagazineCatching the trend of cocktails called quarantinis and registered racehorse names like Wearamask, two fungal species now have pandemic-inspired monikers.
How two new fungus species got named after the COVID-19 pandemic | Susan Milius | August 17, 2020 | Science NewsCompanies like Regeneron are looking at a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies to hit at multiple points.
Medication can now be taken in a single pill rather than a complex cocktail of tablets.
The lucky recipient gets to choose from a selection of gifts ranging from cocktail kits to packages of wine and premium spirits.
The Daily Beast’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Don Draper in Your Life | Allison McNearney | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFor the dapper gent whose favorite accessory is a strong cocktail.
The Daily Beast’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Don Draper in Your Life | Allison McNearney | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe Old-Fashioned is the crème of the cocktail crop—according to Don Draper, at least.
The Daily Beast’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Don Draper in Your Life | Allison McNearney | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTChicken satay and shrimp cocktail are also good options, as you can watch the skewers and tails stack up.
12 Thanksgiving Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work | DailyBurn | November 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMiss Mayblunt begged to be allowed to keep her cocktail untouched before her, just to look at.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinHe got out of the chair and pointed at her, and a few glasses on a cocktail tray tipped over.
In a few minutes he led Peter away to one of the bars where they usually took their cocktail.
The Double Four | E. Phillips OppenheimThe barkeeper was nonplussed, and asked what a tin-roof cocktail was.
As A Chinaman Saw Us | AnonymousThe hour was early; we had the place to ourselves as we pledged each other in the quaint device they call a cocktail at the Pavao.
Where the Pavement Ends | John Russell
British Dictionary definitions for cocktail (1 of 2)
/ (ˈkɒkˌteɪl) /
any mixed drink with a spirit base, usually drunk before meals
(as modifier): the cocktail hour
an appetizer of seafood, mixed fruits, etc
any combination of diverse elements, esp one considered potent
(modifier) appropriate for formal occasions: a cocktail dress
Origin of cocktail
1British Dictionary definitions for cocktail (2 of 2)
/ (ˈkɒkˌteɪl) /
a horse with a docked tail
an animal of unknown or mixed breeding
archaic a person of little breeding pretending to be a gentleman
Origin of cocktail
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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