sugar
(ʃʊgəʳ )
Word forms: sugars , sugaring , sugared
1. uncountable noun A1
Sugar is a sweet substance that is used to make food and drinks sweet. It is usually in the form of small white or brown crystals.
...bags of sugar.
Ice cream is high in fat and sugar.
2. See also caster sugar, confectioners' sugar, demerara sugar, granulated sugar, icing sugar
3. countable noun A2
If someone has one sugar in their tea or coffee, they have one small spoon of sugar or one sugar lump in it.
How many sugars do you take?
...a mug of tea with two sugars.
4. verb B2
If you sugar food or drink, you add sugar to it.
He sat down and sugared and stirred his coffee. [VERB noun]
5. countable noun [usually plural] B1+
Sugars are substances that occur naturally in food. When you eat them, the body converts them into energy.
Plants produce sugars and starch to provide themselves with energy.
...the natural sugars found in grape juice.
6. vocative noun B2
If one person knows another person very well and likes them a lot, they sometimes call them sugar. [informal, feelings]
I know how to make you feel better, sugar. I'll tell you a story.
7. to sugar the pill phrase
If someone does something to sweeten the pill or sugar the pill, they do it to make some unpleasant news or an unpleasant measure more acceptable.
He sweetened the pill by increasing wages, although by slightly less than he raised prices.
Image of sugar
© Garsya, Shutterstock
Idioms:
sugar the pill [British] or sweeten the pill
to try to make bad news or an unpleasant situation more acceptable for someone by giving them or telling them something good or pleasant at the same time
He wants 2,000 staff to be transferred to a spin-off company, and the incentives could sugar the pill for those worried about losing their jobs.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Collocations:
sugar syrup teaspoon of sugar white sugar
Place the marzipan half on top of that and press it down very gently, the sugar syrup will help it stick on.
The Sun (2013)
When the cake is ready remove it from the oven and brush the stem ginger sugar syrup all over the top of each half.
The Sun (2013)
Bring up the temperature and bring the sugar syrup to the boil.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and drop in the tomato petals.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Stir in the balsamic vinegar and vodka (or tequila) and sugar syrup and pour the whole mixture into an ice cream maker.
The Sun (2012)
These contain a teaspoon of sugar each so they don't really need added jam.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Add a heaped teaspoon of sugar to the egg whites.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If using fresh yeast, cream it with a teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl and once it is liquid add to the dry ingredients.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Its high fruit sugar content is absorbed by the body more slowly than white sugar, and does not need insulin to break it down.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
With cream in a bowl and fine white sugar in a proper sugar caster.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Avoid processed and refined foods, including white sugar and flour, which can trigger swings in blood sugar.
PCOS DIET BOOK: How you can use the nutritional approach to deal with polycystic ovary syndrome (2002)
When we eat refined white sugar, this absorption and burning happens very quickly.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
I was glad to see the sugar wasn't wrapped but the white sugar cubes were all under the brown sugar cubes.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Translations:
Chinese: 糖
Japanese: 砂糖
- electrical insulation
- electrical interference
- electrical items
- electrically
- electrically conductive
- electrical machinery
- electrical motor
- electrical outage
- electrical outlet
- electrical output
- electrical product
- electrical pulse
- electrical resistance
- electrical safety
- electrical signal
- electrical socket
- electrical spark
- electrical stimulation
- electrical stimulus
- electrical substation
- electrical supply
- electrical surge
- electrical switch
- electrical system
- electrical tape