satin, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

satin n.

1. in the context of alcohol [its supposed smoothness].

(a) gin.

1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 220: Satin gin; ‘a yard of SATIN,’ a glass of gin. Term used by females on make-believe errands, when the real object of their departure from home is to replenish the private bottle.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 7: Satin - Gin; a yard of ‘satin,’ a glass of gin.
1891		F.W. Carew Autobiog. of a Gipsey 421: Making his way to the refreshment-bar [he] had purchased a bottle of his favourite ‘satin’.
a.1909		press cutting in J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 51/1: That little bloke [...] put away six pots of four-half, three kervoortens of cold satin in a two-out brush, a ’arf kervoorten of rum, and a bottle of whisky.
1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight.

(b) (US black) Italian Swiss Colony Silver Satin wine mixed with lemon juice.

1980

E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 187: Silver Satin with lemon juice was called Satin, shake-em-up, and WPLJ (white port and lemon juice).

2. (US black) death [the SE satin that lines a coffin].

2000

F.X. Toole Rope Burns 202: Standing over some sucker and laughing down on him as his life flickered [...] knowing that the chump will take your face with him to the satin.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

stand on satin (v.)

(Aus.) to be in an advantageous position.

1903		Teleg. (Brisbane) 16 July 4/2: True, they might in the event of loss have to pay a higher rate, but for this the higher rents might compensate; and if the system succeeded they would doubly profit, for they would share in the reduction of rates [...] In either event they ‘stand on satin’.
1905		Sun. Times (Perth) 5 Nov. 1/4: The clinah-killing propensities of a country candidate were responsible for his success [and] having made love to half the ladies in the electorate he stood on satin.