denatured alcohol

Definitions of denatured alcohol

1. noun

   ethyl alcohol that is unfit for drinking but is still useful for other purposes
   types:

   methylated spirit

   ethyl alcohol denatured with methyl alcohol to prevent its use as an alcoholic beverage

   surgical spirit

   methylated spirit used in the practice of medicine (especially for cleansing the skin before injections or before surgery)

   type of:

   ethanol, ethyl alcohol, fermentation alcohol, grain alcohol

   the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors; used pure or denatured as a solvent or in medicines and colognes and cleaning solutions and rocket fuel; proposed as a renewable clean-burning additive to gasoline