arrack
(əˈræk, ˈærək)
Forms: 7 arak, aracke, 7–9 arack, 9 arrac, 7– arrack. Aphet. 7– rack.
[Ultimately Arab., ﻋaraq sweat, juice, esp. in ﻋaraq at-tamr ‘the (fermented) juice of the date,’ whence extended to all sorts of fermented beverages. The word has been adopted in all Muslim countries; the Pg. araca, araque, Sp. arac, Fr. arack, and Eng. arrack, are taken from Indian vernaculars, with the Indian sense. See also rack.]
A name applied in Eastern countries to any spirituous liquor of native manufacture; especially, that distilled from the fermented sap of the coco-palm, or from rice and sugar, fermented with the coco-nut juice.
| [1516 Barbosa Trav. transl. Ld. Stanley (Hakl.) 59 They bring cocoa-nuts, huraca (which is something to drink).] 1602–5 E. Scot Java in Purchas (1625) I. 173 Kept a victualing house, and brewed Aracke. 1694 T. R. in Phil. Trans. XVIII. 277 A sort of Jaundise, contracted by the frequent drinking of Arak or Rack. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1729) I. 293 Arack is distill'd also from Rice, and other things. 1782 J. Trumbull M'Fingal iv, And well invok'd with punch of arrack, Hold converse sweet in tent or barrack. 1834 Penny Cycl. II. 233/1 Arack or Arrac. 1859 Tennent Ceylon II. 127 Toddy drawers..ascending the (coco-nut) trees in quest of the sap drawn from the spathes of the unopened flowers to be distilled into arrack. |
b. attrib.
| 1602–5 E. Scot Java in Purchas I. 184 Drave them into a Racke-house. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. (1812) I. 102 The arrack punch with which he treated them. 1808 Orient. Field Sports I. 88 The bad effects of these arrack shops. |