rot gut

English

Noun

rot gut (uncountable)

1. Alternative spelling of rotgut
   • 2009, John Loscher, The Bolsheviks: Twilight of the Romanov Dynasty, page 14:

     The merchants were notorious for heavily watering down this “rot gut” whiskey; and thus, a little something else was needed to give a bottle of rot gut the right amount of “kick”.

Adjective

rot gut (not generally comparable, comparative more rot gut, superlative most rot gut)

1. (usually of whiskey) Unrefined, low quality.
   • 1887, William Hibbard, Rays of Reason: Or Religion Refuted, page 115:

     As a result of their laws in some of the states statistics furnish the facts that more “rot gut” whiskey is used than ever before, the milder and more harmless beverages having been in a measure embargoed by the law by reason of the fact that they cannot so easily be smuggled and handled as the concentrated “forty rod” whiskey.

   • 2015, Randall Von Hartman, A Slip of the Cog:

     “This time it ain't gonna be none of that cheap rot gut stuff is it?” Nate posed to Marten.

Anagrams

• gut rot