moonshine

moonshine
moonshine (n.) c.1500, "moonlight," from MOON (Cf. moon) (n.) + SHINE (Cf. shine) (n.). In figurative use, implying "appearance without substance," from late 15c.; perhaps connected in that sense with notion of "moonshine in water" (Cf. MOONRAKER (Cf. moonraker)). Meaning "illicit liquor" is attested from 1785 (earliest reference is to that smuggled on the coasts of Kent and Sussex); moonlight also occasionally was used in this sense early 19c. As a verb from 1883. Related: Moonshiner (1860).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Moonshine — (dt. Mondschein) bezeichnet: Moonshine Kate, US amerikanische Country Musikerin Moonshine Willy, US amerikanischer Rockabilly Musiker …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Moonshine — Moon shine , a. Moonlight. [R.] Clarendon. [1913 Webster] 2. Empty; trivial; idle. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 3. Designating, or pertaining to, illicit liquor; as, moonshine whisky. [Dial. Eng., & Colloq. or Slang, U. S.] [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Moonshine — Moon shine , n. 1. The light of the moon. [1913 Webster] 2. Hence, show without substance or reality. [1913 Webster] 3. A month. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. A preparation of eggs for food. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 5. Liquor smuggled or illicitly… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • moonshine — [n] illegally distilled alcohol bathtub gin*, bootleg, firewater*, home brew, hooch*, mountain dew*, rotgut*, white lightning; concepts 454,467 …   New thesaurus

  • moonshine — ► NOUN informal 1) foolish talk or ideas. 2) chiefly N. Amer. illicitly distilled or smuggled liquor …   English terms dictionary

  • moonshine — [mo͞on′shīn΄] n. 1. MOONLIGHT 2. foolish or empty talk, notions, plans, etc.; nonsense 3. Informal a) smuggled whiskey ☆ b) whiskey unlawfully distilled; often, specif., such whiskey made from corn and not matured in barrels …   English World dictionary

  • Moonshine — Not to be confused with Moonlight. For other uses, see Moonshine (disambiguation). The Moonshine Man of Kentucky, illustration from Harper s Weekly, 1877, showing five scenes from the life of a Kentucky moonshiner Moonshine (meaning illicit …   Wikipedia

  • moonshine — 1. n. nonsense; humbug. □ That’s just moonshine! I don’t believe a word. D He’s a master at moonshine. 2. n. homemade whisky; any cheap or inferior liquor. □ This moonshine isn’t the best you’ve made. □ Moonshine is supposed to be s …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • moonshine — [[t]mu͟ːnʃaɪn[/t]] 1) N UNCOUNT Moonshine is whisky that is made illegally. [mainly AM] 2) N UNCOUNT (disapproval) If you say that someone s thoughts, ideas, or comments are moonshine, you think they are foolish and not based on reality. As… …   English dictionary

  • moonshine — noun a) The light of the moon; moonlight. They watered down the moonshine. b) Illegally distilled liquor, so named because much of the manufacturing process often is conducted without artificial light at night when the moon is shining. He was… …   Wiktionary

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