1. A white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative
   "She used refined sugar to make the meringue";
   - refined sugar
    
2. An essential structural component of living cells and source of energy for animals; includes simple sugars with small molecules as well as macromolecular substances; classified according to the number of monosaccharide groups they contain
   "Blood sugar levels rise after eating carbohydrates";
   - carbohydrate, saccharide, carb [informal]
    
3. [N. Amer, informal] Someone who is loved (used as a term of endearment)
   "My sugar, I've missed you so much";
   - beloved, dear, dearest, honey [informal], love, baby [informal], darling, deary [informal], dearie [Brit, informal], sweetheart, sweetie [informal], duck [Brit, informal], hon [informal]
    
4. [informal] The most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
   "we tried to collect the sugar he owed us";
   - money, coin [US, informal], boodle [informal], bread [informal], cabbage [US, informal], clams [US, informal], dinero [N. Amer, informal], dough [informal], gelt [informal], kale [US, informal], lettuce [US, informal], lolly [Brit, informal], lucre [informal], loot [informal], moolah [N. Amer, informal], pelf [archaic, informal], scratch [informal], shekels [informal], simoleons [US, informal], wampum [N. Amer, informal], wonga [Brit, informal], moola [N. Amer, informal], brass [Brit, informal], dibs [archaic, informal], spondulix [Brit, informal], spondulicks [Brit, informal], mazuma [US, informal], dosh [Brit, informal]

1. Sweeten, coat or sprinkle with sugar
   "sugar your tea"
    
2. Make more pleasant or agreeable
   "sugar a deal";
   - sweeten
    
3. Cause to appear more pleasant or appealing
   "She sugared the harsh criticism with some compliments";
   - sugarcoat

1. Exclamation of annoyance
   "sugar ...They won't stop me from having what I want"";
   - blast, bother [Brit], botheration, bummer [informal], curses, dang [N. Amer, informal], damn, damnation, dammit [informal], damn it [informal], darn [informal], dash [Brit, informal], deuce [informal], durn [US, dialect], drat [informal], hang [informal], tarnation [N. Amer, informal], shoot [N. Amer, informal]

Derived forms: sugaring, sugars, sugared

Type of: alter, change, dulcify, dulcorate [archaic], edulcorate [archaic], lover, macromolecule, medium of exchange, modify, monetary system, spin, supermolecule, sweeten, sweetener, sweetening

Part of: money supply

Encyclopedia: Sugar, Venerable John