overproof

Etymology

A bottle of Wray and Nephew white overproof rum

over- +‎ proof.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əʊvəˈpɹuːf/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌoʊvɚˈpɹuf/
• Hyphenation: over‧proof

Adjective

overproof (not comparable)

1. Possessing a higher proportion of alcohol than proof spirit.

   Antonym: underproof

   • 1922 November 25, A[rthur] M[urray] Chisholm, “A Thousand a Plate”, in Western Story Magazine, volume XXX, number 4, New York, N.Y.: Street & Smith Corporation, OCLC 11910542, chapter II, page 93, column 2:

     Now the rum, as has been said, was criminally overproof, and they had had no intoxicants for a long time. And so a couple of stiff drinks produced a beautiful and generous expansion of soul. The mean cabin became larger, the fire warmer and more cheerful, and life generally of a more roseate hue. They began to feel the prodigal Thanksgiving spirit, and to regret their limited opportunities for satisfying it.

Verb

overproof (third-person singular simple present overproofs, present participle overproofing, simple past and past participle overproofed)

1. (transitive, baking) To proof (allow dough containing yeast to rise) excessively.

   Antonym: underproof

Further reading

• alcoholic proof on Wikipedia.Wikipedia