among distillers, a term used to express the debasing the strength of any spirituous liquor, by mixing water with it. The standard and marketable price of these liquors is fixed in regard to a certain strength in them called proof; this is that strength which makes them, when shaken in a phial or poured from on high into a glass, retain a froth or crown of bubbles for some time. In this state, spirits consist of about half pure or totally inflammable spirit, and half water; and if any foreign or home spirits are to be exposed to sale, and are found to have that proof wanting, scarce any body will buy it till it has been distilled again and brought to that strength; and if it is above that strength, the proprietor usually adds water to it to bring it down to that standard. See the article Proof.

There is another kind of lowering among the retailers of spirituous liquors to the vulgar, by reducing it under the standard proof. Whoever has the art of doing this without destroying the bubble proof, which is easily done by means of some addition that gives a greater tenacity to the parts of the spirits, will deceive all that judge by this proof alone. In this case, the best way to judge of liquors is by the eye and tongue, and especially by the instrument called Hydrometer.