demon rum

noun

US, old fashioned + humorous
: alcoholic drink : alcohol
It's not like alcohol is some benign entity. The devastation wrought by demon rum has been well-documented for decades, yet no one suggests a return of Prohibition.Teresa Keegan, Denver Post, 5 May 2013
sometimes used with the
… this "Gay Nineties Melodrama" offers up all the elements of an old-fashioned barnstormer, from an innocent country girl heroine named Nellie to a despicable viper named Munro Murgatroyd, who … drives stalwart hero Adam Oakhart to the demon rum.Tom Chesek, Asbury Park (New Jersey) Press, 9 Mar. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of demon rum was in 1799

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near demon rum

Cite this Entry

“Demon rum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demon%20rum. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!