arrack
/ˈarək
/ /əˈrak /(also arak)
noun [mass noun]
An alcoholic spirit made in Eastern countries from the sap of the coco palm or from rice.According to one of the three security officers at the warehouse, four masked men armed with a pistol entered the premises and forced them at gunpoint to gulp down a bottle of arrack, a strong alcoholic drink....
- The police exhorted the villagers to keep away from the influence of alcohol and illicit distilled arrack in the interest of their health.
- Also popular is arak, the anise-flavored alcohol produced in the region.
Origin
Early 17th century: from Arabic ‘araq 'sweat', from the phrase ‘arak al-tamr, denoting an alcoholic spirit made from dates.