four thieves' vinegar

Meaning

Noun

• Vinegar mixed with camphor and essential oils, formerly used as medicine.

Related

Similar words

• Marseilles vinegar
• thieves' vinegar

Origin

• From the story that thieves, by using it, were enabled to plunder, with impunity to health, in the great plague at London. Possibly originally a corruption of "Forthave's vinegar", Richard Forthave being the publisher of an early recipe.