the.com/tincture
alcohol that bullied a plant into surrendering all its secrets.
means A medicine or extract made by dissolving a plant or other substance in alcohol, or more loosely, a faint trace or tinge of something.
from From Latin tinctura, 'a dyeing,' from tingere, 'to dye, moisten, or stain' — the same root that colors our word 'tint.' The sense traveled from literally staining cloth to the way a soaked herb stains its alcohol with potency, and finally to the figurative 'a tincture of doubt,' a barely-there coloring of the whole.
- meaning
- plant compounds dissolved in high-proof ethanol
- strength
- typically 25 to 90 percent alcohol
- speed
- under-tongue dosing skips digestion entirely
- shelf life
- alcohol preserves them for years unrefrigerated
- etymology
- from Latin for dyeing or staining
iodine tincture — antiseptic solution used since the 1800s, typically 2-7% iodine in alcohol
arnica tincture — herbal remedy made from arnica montana flowers, used in homeopathy and folk medicine
benzoin tincture — resin-based preparation used in traditional medicine and as a topical antiseptic since medieval times