OH functional group-acidic or basic?

[Wizard]

Hey, im a bit confused about the nature of the OH functional group. Is, for example, ethanol acidic or basic? The carboxyl functional group is obviously acidic (hence the name carboxcylic acid), but then what of C-O-H? 

[Mao]

The hydroxy group usually doesn't have acidic nor basic properties.

[mark_alec]

Alcohols are very weak acids, Phenols are stronger, due to resonance stabilisation. But as far as you need to know for VCE, they don't have strong properties either way.

[Wizard]

Why is it that carboxylic acids are relatively strong acids (compared to alkanols), whereas alkanols are not? I mean, the only difference is the C=O bond in carboxylic acids; both have a C-O-H. How is carboxylic acid a stronger acid than an alkanol?

[mark_alec]

The carboxyl functional group is more acidic than the hydroxy functional group because of resonance stabilisation that distributes the negative charge of the conjugate base over both oxygens (this is first year chemistry knowledge, you are not required to know it).