sluicery

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A gin shop or public house.

Register: archaic, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

When men go into a 'sluicery' for a 'sensation,' a 'drain,' or a 'common sewer,' they call the glass of gin they seek, in allusion to the juniper, a 'nipper,' or, more briefly, a 'nip,' occasionally a 'bite,' and not unfrequently it turns out a 'flogger.'

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sluicery” mean?

A gin shop or public house.

Is “sluicery” formal or informal?

sluicery is generally archaic, slang.