DCHP-3

screech

[ult. < Scottish dial. screigh whisky, presumably from its effect on those who overindulge]
Esp. Nfld, Slang
DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

1an.

a potent dark rum.

Quotations

1957
He is little addicted to the Island's national drink called "Screech."
1958
Pinkie is a cheap wine highly regarded by waterfront connoisseurs, a chaser for screech.
1965
A couple of shots of Newfie Screech or Big Dipper and you get a crying jag on. . . .
1bn.

See 1958 quote.

Quotations

1958
Screech is a mixture of rums now sold by the liquor board under a new label that displays a map of the island and the legend "Newfoundland's Famous Screech."
1959
The most favored libation is a dark, evil-looking rum prophetically labelled "Screech."
2n.

any cheap, potent liquor or wine.

Quotations

1945
[The rating] gets hold of some bootleg scotch--"high life," they call it on the West Coast, and "screech" in Newfie--and then he's away to doing something that may easily end him up in Cells or Detention.
1957
Early on the great morning of the 22nd July [1948] "Grandpa" set out to take charge of the local polling station, with a forbidden bottle of "screech" in his pocket.