[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886) › c10.524 # Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.524 Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.524 - **Language:** English ### [c10.524](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.524) \*\*ARRACK, RACK\*\*, s. This word is the Ar. \*arak\*, properly ‘perspiration,’ and then, first the exudation or sap drawn from the date palm (\*‘arak al-tamar\*); secondly any strong drink, ‘distilled spirit,’ ‘essence,’ etc. But it has spread to very remote corners of Asia. Thus it is used in the forms \*ariki\* and \*arki\* in Mongolia and Manchuria, for spirit distilled from grain. In India it is applied to a variety of common spirits; in S. India to those distilled from the fermented sap of sundry palms; in E. and N. India to the spirit distilled from cane-molasses, and also to that from rice. The Turkish form of the word, \*rāki\*, is applied to a spirit made from grape-skins; and in Syria and Egypt to a spirit flavoured with aniseed, made in the Lebanon. There is a popular or slang Fr. word, \*riquiqui\*, for brandy, which appears also to be derived from \*araki\* (Marcel Devic). Humboldt (\*Examen\*, &c., ii. 300) says that the word first appears in Pigafetta’s \*Voyage of Magellan\*; but this is not correct. - [Previous: c10.523](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.523) - [Next: c10.525](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.525) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.524](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.yule-burnell-1886.c10.524) · Pramāṇa