[syn: drinkable, potable]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Potable \Po"ta*ble\, a. [F., fr. L. potabilis, fr. potare to
drink; akin to Gr. po`tos a drinking, po`sis a drink, Skr.
p[=a] to drink, OIr. ibim I drink. Cf. Poison, Bib,
Imbibe.]
Fit to be drunk; drinkable. "Water fresh and potable."
--Bacon. -- n. A potable liquid; a beverage. "Useful in
potables." --J. Philips.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
potable
adj 1: suitable for drinking [syn: drinkable, potable] [ant:
undrinkable]
n 1: any liquid suitable for drinking; "may I take your beverage
order?" [syn: beverage, drink, drinkable, potable]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
45 Moby Thesaurus words for "potable":
John Barleycorn, alcohol, alcoholic beverage, alcoholic drink,
aqua vitae, ardent spirits, beverage, booze, brew, drink,
drinkable, frosted, frosted shake, grog, hard liquor, inebriant,
intoxicant, intoxicating liquor, liquid, liquor, little brown jug,
malt, pop, potation, punch bowl, rum, schnapps, shake,
social lubricant, soda, soda pop, soda water, soft drink, spirits,
strong drink, strong waters, the Demon Rum, the bottle, the cup,
the flowing bowl, the luscious liquor, the ruddy cup, tonic,
toxicant, water of life
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
POTABLE, n. Suitable for drinking. Water is said to be potable;
indeed, some declare it our natural beverage, although even they find
it palatable only when suffering from the recurrent disorder known as
thirst, for which it is a medicine. Upon nothing has so great and
diligent ingenuity been brought to bear in all ages and in all
countries, except the most uncivilized, as upon the invention of
substitutes for water. To hold that this general aversion to that
liquid has no basis in the preservative instinct of the race is to be
unscientific -- and without science we are as the snakes and toads.