ˈʃuɡə n. & v. --n. 1 a
sweet crystalline substance obtained
from various plants,
esp.
the sugar
cane and sugar
beet, used in
cookery,
confectionery, brewing,
etc.;
sucrose. 2 Chem.
any of a
group of
soluble usu. sweet-tasting crystalline carbohydrates found esp. in plants, e.g.
glucose. 3 esp. US colloq.
darling,
dear (used as a
term of address). 4 sweet words;
flattery. 5
anything comparable to sugar encasing a
pill in reconciling a
person to
what is
unpalatable. 6 sl. a
narcotic drug, esp.
heroin or
LSD (taken on a lump of sugar). --v.tr. 1
sweeten with sugar. 2
make (one's words,
meaning, etc.)
more pleasant or
welcome. 3
coat with sugar (sugared almond). 4
spread a sugar
mixture on (a tree) to
catch moths. øsugar beet a beet,
Beta vulgaris, from
which sugar is extracted. sugar-candy see
CANDY 1. sugar cane
Bot. any
perennial tropical grass of the
genus Saccharum, esp. S. officinarum, with
tall stout jointed stems from which sugar is
made. sugar-coated 1 (of food) enclosed in sugar. 2 made superficially
attractive. sugar-daddy (pl. -ies) sl. an
elderly man who lavishes gifts on a
young woman. sugar-gum Bot. an
Australian eucalyptus, Eucalyptus cladocalyx, with sweet
foliage eaten by
cattle. sugar loaf a
conical moulded mass of sugar. sugar-maple any of various trees, esp. Acer saccharum, from the sap of which sugar is made. sugar of lead Chem. = lead
acetate (see LEAD(2)). sugar-pea a
variety of
pea eaten
whole including the
pod. sugar the pill see PILL. sugar
soap an
alkaline compound
for cleaning or removing
paint. øøsugarless adj. [ME f. OF úukre, sukere f.
It. zucchero prob. f. med.L succarum f.
Arab. sukkar]
