Intoxicating liquor, alcoholic liquors generally. Also, drink of more than ordinary alcoholic strength.
In all Bible translations from Tindale onwards used to render Heb. shēkār and Gr. σίκερα.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., 749. Whan that a man is nat wont to strong drynke.
1526. Tindale, Luke i. 15. He … shall nether drynke wyne ner stronge drynke. Ibid. (1530), Lev. x. 9.
c. 1645. Tully, Siege of Carlisle (1840), 48. Ye Garrison was every where full of strong drink.
1798. R. Jackson, Hist. & Cure Fever, 283. Men, who oppress the functions of the alimentary canal with strong drink and gross aliment.
1890. Besant, Demoniac, ii. 25. The craving … for strong drink had seized him again.
b. With a and pl.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 292. Such stronge drinkes as are of force to inebriate.
1680. H. More, Lett., in R. Ward, Life (1710), 355. It is … your constantly abstaining from all Strong Drinks, and using Moderate Drink, not too strong nor too small, that must contribute to the regaining of a due Temper of Body.
