a sweet, crystalline substance, C12H22O11, obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.Compare beet sugar, cane sugar.
Chemistry. a member of the same class of carbohydrates, as lactose, glucose, or fructose.
(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or a romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter S.
Slang. money.
Slang. LSD
verb (used with object)
to cover, sprinkle, mix, or sweeten with sugar.
to make agreeable.
verb (used without object)
to form sugar or sugar crystals.
to make maple sugar.
Verb Phrases
sugar off,(in making maple sugar) to complete the boiling down of the syrup in preparation for granulation.
Origin of sugar
1250–1300; Middle English sugre, sucre (noun) <Middle French sucre<Medieval Latin succārum<Italian zucchero<Arabic sukkar; obscurely akin to Persian shakar,Greek sákcharon (see sacchar-)
Like Lent, the season of Advent was a period of reflection and fasting, and items such as dairy and sugar were forbidden.
One Cake to Rule Them All: How Stollen Stole Our Hearts|Molly Hannon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And so it was that the federal government did not shut down just when we all had visions of sugar plumbs dancing in our heads.
Congress’ Gift That Keeps on Giving|P. J. O’Rourke|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some of these cereals, Smith pointed out, were 60-percent sugar.
Cereal Cafe’s Big Bowl of Hate|David Levesley|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cover with one cup of sugar and then let stand for one-half hour.
Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book|Mary A. Wilson
Beat the yolks of the eggs for 10 minutes with the sugar and lemon rind.
The Allinson Vegetarian Cookery Book|Thomas R. Allinson
It is true that there are sugar and coffee, but no corn, no potatoes, and none of our delicious varieties of fruit.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
The Chinese element was brought over by contract for working on sugar plantations.
Industrial Cuba|Robert P. Porter
Yet another improvement which this firm have introduced into their sugar machinery is in connection with the juice-heaters.
Salvador of the Twentieth Century|Percy F. Martin
British Dictionary definitions for sugar (1 of 2)
sugar
/ (ˈʃʊɡə) /
noun
Also called: sucrose, saccharosea white crystalline sweet carbohydrate, a disaccharide, found in many plants and extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet: it is used esp as a sweetening agent in food and drinks. Formula: C 12 H 22 O 11Related adjective: saccharine
any of a class of simple water-soluble carbohydrates, such as sucrose, lactose, and fructose
informal, mainlyUS and Canadiana term of affection, esp for one's sweetheart
rare a slang word for money
a slang name for LSD
verb
(tr)to add sugar to; make sweet
(tr)to cover or sprinkle with sugar
(intr)to produce sugar
sugar the pillorsugar the medicineto make something unpleasant more agreeable by adding something pleasantthe government stopped wage increases but sugared the pill by reducing taxes
Derived forms of sugar
sugarless, adjectivesugar-like, adjective
Word Origin for sugar
C13 suker, from Old French çucre, from Medieval Latin zuccārum, from Italian zucchero, from Arabic sukkar, from Persian shakar, from Sanskrit śarkarā
British Dictionary definitions for sugar (2 of 2)
Sugar
/ (ˈʃʊɡə) /
noun
Alan (Michael). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)
A crystalline or powdered substance consisting of sucrose obtained mainly from sugar cane and sugar beets and used in many medicines to improve their taste.
Any of a class of water-soluble crystalline carbohydrates, including sucrose and lactose, having a characteristically sweet taste and classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, and trisaccharides.
Any of a class of crystalline carbohydrates that are water-soluble, have a characteristic sweet taste, and are universally present in animals and plants. They are characterized by the many OH groups they contain. Sugars are monosaccharides or small oligosaccharides, and include sucrose, glucose, and lactose.