sugar

Less common meanings

6. 6
   darlingnouncountable

   A loving name for someone you care about, like a partner or child.

   Like calling someone "honey" or "sweetie."

   Sugar, can you pass me the salt?

   Thanks for helping me carry these, sugar.

   UsageUse it like a name, without a: 'Hello, sugar!'

   Similardarling, dear, babe, baby, sweetheart

7. 7
   diabetesnouncolloquialuncountable

   A casual word for diabetes, the illness where the body struggles to control blood sugar.

   Grandma's had sugar for years and takes pills for it.

   Too many folks in that family end up with sugar later in life.

   UsagePeople say have sugar. Doctors say diabetes.

   Similardiabetes

   Note
8. 8
   smooth wordsnouncountable or uncountable

   Kind or flattering words used to hide something bad or make it easier to accept.

   Like sweet syrup poured over food that has gone bad.

   His speech was all sugar, hiding the bad news underneath.

   The salesman's praise was just sugar to hide the high price.

   Similarflattery

9. 9
   similar substancenoundatedcountable or uncountable

   Something that looks or tastes like sugar, especially a chemical of that kind.

   Sugar of milk is now produced by partly chemical means from milk-whey, the product being about two and a half pounds per hundred pounds of whey.

   1904, “Process of Making Milk Sugar”, in The American Sugar Industry and Beer Sugar GazetteHere, Sugar means a substance like sugar, made from milk.

   Note
10. 10
    hair removalverbtransitive or intransitive

    To remove body hair using a sticky paste made of sugar, water, and lemon juice.

    Like pulling off a sticky patch that lifts the hairs away with it.

    She sugars her legs at home every few weeks.

    Many salons sugar clients instead of using hot wax.

11. 11
    mild swearinterjection

    A polite word shouted instead of a rude one when something goes wrong.

    Like saying "shoot" or "darn" instead of a bad word.

    Sugar! I forgot my keys again.

    Oh, sugar, the milk just boiled over.

    UsageOften used in Oh, sugar!

    Similarshoot, drat, darn, blast

    Note
12. 12
    maple syrupverbdialectalCanadaUStransitive or intransitive

    To boil maple syrup down until it gets thick enough to turn into solid sugar.

    Like boiling fruit juice down until it turns into candy.

    By April the sap was boiling, and it was almost time to sugar off.

    Grandpa taught us how to sugar off without burning the syrup.

    UsageSay sugar off.

    Note
13. 13
    flatterverbtransitive

    To say nice or flattering things to someone, often to please them.

    Similarflatter, compliment

14. 14
    kissesnounslanguncountable

    Kisses given to show love or affection.

    Come give your grandma some sugar before you go.

    Grandma bent down and asked for some sugar, so I kissed her cheek.

    UsageSay give me some sugar.

    Note
15. 15
    heroinnounslangUSuncountable

    Heroin, a strong and dangerous illegal drug.

    Similarheroin, smack, dope, junk, horse

16. 16
    moneynoundatedUSuncountable

    An old slang word for money, especially cash.

    He flashed his sugar around the bar all night.

    They needed more sugar to pay the rent.

    Similardough, bread, cash, money

17. 17
    feminine mannernoundialectalSouthernUSuncountable

    A soft or feminine quality in a man, sometimes used to hint that he is gay.

    His cousins joked that he had sugar in his tank.

    Some kids at school teased him for having sugar in his tank.

    UsageUsually in have sugar in his tank. Used to mock a man, so do not use it yourself.

    Note
18. 18
    nouncolloquialuncountable

    The amount of sugar in your blood, which people with diabetes often check.

    Grandpa checks his sugar every morning before breakfast.

    I felt shaky because my sugar was low.

    UsageSay my sugar is high. In formal writing, use blood sugar for clarity.

    Similarglucose

    Note
19. 19
    noun

    A part of a computer language that makes code easier to read or write but adds no new power.
20. 20
    verb

    To rewrite computer code in a shorter, easier-to-read way that behaves exactly the same.

    Sure, you could sugar the latter to look like the former (effectively implementing closures as objects), but it seems simpler to just allow the former.

    2006, Neil Madden, “Re: Closures”Here, sugar means to rewrite code so it is shorter but works the same.
21. 21
    verb

    To brush a sweet, sticky mixture onto trees or plants so that moths come to feed and can be caught.