coke

UK: kəʊk | US: koʊk

Definition
  1. n. 1. A solid fuel made by heating coal in the absence of air.

  2. n. 2. (Informal) Short for Coca-Cola, a carbonated soft drink.

  3. n. 3. (Slang) Cocaine (illegal drug).

Structure

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Etymology

The word "coke" originated in the early 17th century as a variant of "coal," specifically referring to the residue left after heating coal to remove impurities. The spelling shift from "coal" to "coke" reflects dialectal pronunciation changes. Later, "Coke" became a trademark for Coca-Cola (1886), and by the mid-20th century, it was slang for cocaine due to phonetic similarity and cultural associations.

Examples
  1. The steel industry relies on coke for smelting iron ore.

  2. She ordered a burger and a coke at the diner.

  3. (Slang) The police seized a large quantity of coke in the raid.

  4. Coke production releases fewer pollutants than raw coal.

  5. He prefers Pepsi over Coke.