ambeern Usu |ˈæmˌbɪr, ˈæmˌbɪə|, less freq |ˈæmbə(r)|, occas |ˈembə(r)| Pronc-spp amber,ambia,ambier [Alter of amber, for the color, infl by beer, with ref to color and foam of the spittle] chiefly Sth, S Midl See Map See also ambacker juice,amber juice
1 Juice from tobacco trash: see quot.a1763 in 1775 VA Gaz. (Williamsburg) [Purdie] 4 Aug 1, The floor [of the tobacco-house] being thus prepared, sprinkle strong ambeer over it, made from tobacco trash, and cover it with wet ground leaves, or other tobacco trash, for a fortnight.
2 Saliva colored by chewing tobacco or snuff.1848 Bartlett Americanisms 391, Ambia, Used in Virginia and the Carolinas for tobacco juice. It is a euphemism for the spittle produced by this voluntary ptyalism. 1902DN 2.228 sIL,Ambeer. . . Tobacco juice. The saliva when chewing tobacco. 1903DN 2.305 seMO,Ambeer. . . Tobacco juice. “They spit ambeer all over the floor.” 1907DN 3.220 nwAR.1908DN 3.286 eAL, wGA.1914DN 4.102 KS.Ibid 180, VA.1923DN 5.200 swMO.1927 Adams Congaree 24 cSC [Black], Wid ambier drippin’ off her bill jes like it drip off her tongue in dis world. 1944 Howard Walkin’ Preacher 125 MO, She spat a mouthful of amber directly over the bare toe and into the fire. “Ya kotched me achawin’ my terbaccy.” 1950PADS 14.11 SC,Ambeer [ˈæmbɛə, ˈæmbjɛə]. c1960Wilson Coll.csKY. 1965–70DARE (Qu. DD4, Moisture in the mouth, colored brown by snuff or chewing tobacco) 113 Infs, chiefly Sth, S Midl, Ambeer [ˈæmˌbiə, ˈæmˌbir]; 21 Infs, chiefly Sth, S Midl, Amber [ˈæmbə(r)]; Infs KY92, MS88, Amber [ˈembə(r)].
3 The residue that gathers in the stem of a smoker’s pipe.1899 (1912) Green VA Folk-Speech, Ambeer. . . Thick nicotine in a pipe stem. 1967DARE FW Addit ceSC, Ambeer. . . The tars, etc. that collect in the pipe stem—not the same as tobacco spittle.
