DCHP-1 Online

blackstrap

• 1 n. strong, black tobacco for chewing or smoking in a pipe, sold in figs or plugs.

  See also: blackjack (def. 1)  fig  

  • 1897  I then exhibited two plugs of black-strap, and asked in a decided tone of voice, as if it were my last offer, "oomungde?"

• 2 n. a liquor made of rum and molasses.

  • 1827  (1832)  Let him give out drams of whiskey . . . "bitters" (any kind of liquor taken in the morning ostensibly for procuring an appetite), "sling," "Black strap," etc. from a tier of yellow painted kegs. . . .
  • 1956  . . . what was the service issue? Good old blackstrap Demerara. A man can fight on that. He can darn near live on it.

• 3 n. molasses.

  • 1903  . . . as for the [maple] syrup, it was far superior to the "black strap" that was sold at the general store.
  • 1963  He and his playmates were allowed to help . . . receiving in reward a treat of "blackstrap and dumpling."