An alcohol has an OH functionally in it. Do you expect it to be a base? Why, or why not?

Answer 1

Bases that contain the OH group are basic because they ionize with the OH group intact. Remember that HNO3 (which has bonding of HONO2) has an OH group, too, BUT, and this is an important but, the OH does not ionize. Rather, the H comes off and leaves the ONO2^- as the nitrate ion so HONO2 is an acid. Likewise, the alcohol H is slightly acidic, too, but not very acidic.