tincture

tincture
   1. a partial descent from other than white ancestry
   Literally, a pigment, and used offensively of those whose dark skin pigmentation indicates a non-white ancestor:
    She had a tincture herself or she would not have mentioned their race. (Theroux, 1977)
   2. an intoxicant
   Literally, in pharmacy, a medical solution in alcohol:
    So while I was shunted off for tinctures with a lot of silly women in leotards... (Private Eye, February 1981)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • Tincture — Tinc ture, n. [L. tinctura a dyeing, from tingere, tinctum, to tinge, dye: cf. OE. tainture, teinture, F. teinture, L. tinctura. See {Tinge}.] 1. A tinge or shade of color; a tint; as, a tincture of red. [1913 Webster] 2. (Her.) One of the metals …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tincture — Tinc ture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tinctured}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tincturing}.] 1. To communicate a slight foreign color to; to tinge; to impregnate with some extraneous matter. [1913 Webster] A little black paint will tincture and spoil twenty gay… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tincture — index minimum, penetrate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • tincture — (n.) c.1400, from L. tinctura act of dyeing or tingeing, from tinctus dye, pp. of tingere to tinge, dye, moisten, soak, from PIE root *teng to soak (Cf. O.H.G. dunkon to soak, Gk. tengein to moisten ). Meaning solution of medicine in a mixture of …   Etymology dictionary

  • tincture — n *touch, suggestion, tinge, suspicion, soupçon, shade, smack, spice, dash, vein, strain, streak …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • tincture — ► NOUN 1) a medicine made by dissolving a drug in alcohol. 2) a slight trace. 3) Heraldry any of the conventional colours used in coats of arms. ► VERB (be tinctured) ▪ be tinged or flavoured with a slight trace of. ORIGIN Latin tinctura dyeing …   English terms dictionary

  • tincture — [tiŋk′chər] n. [ME < L tinctura < tinctus, pp. of tingere, to dye: see TINGE] 1. Obs. a dye 2. a light color; tint; tinge 3. a slight admixture or infusion of some substance or quality; trace, smattering, etc. 4. Heraldry any color, metal,… …   English World dictionary

  • Tincture — In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract (e.g. of leaves or other plant material) or solution of a non volatile substance; e.g. of iodine, mercurochrome). To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have a ethanol percentage of… …   Wikipedia

  • tincture —    An extract, usually herbal, and usually made with a mixture of water and alcohol, although there were official tinctures that also used acetic acid, chloroform and glycerin. Only a few tinctures are still official in the U.S., including… …   Herbal-medical glossary

  • tincture — UK [ˈtɪŋktʃə(r)] / US [ˈtɪŋktʃər] noun Word forms tincture : singular tincture plural tinctures 1) a) [countable/uncountable] a medicine made by mixing a small amount of a drug with alcohol b) British humorous an alcoholic drink 2) [singular]… …   English dictionary

  • tincture — /tingk cheuhr/, n., v., tinctured, tincturing. n. 1. Pharm. a solution of alcohol or of alcohol and water, containing animal, vegetable, or chemical drugs. 2. a slight infusion, as of some element or quality: A tincture of education had softened… …   Universalium

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