INDEX:
1. to drink something
2. to drink very quickly
3. to drink all of something
4. something that you drink
5. drinks that contain gas or do not contain gas
6. drinks that contain alcohol
7. drinks that do not contain alcohol
8. to drink alcohol
9. someone who never drinks alcohol
10. to stop drinking alcoholic drinks
11. what people say when they drink alcohol together
see also
↑ THIRSTY
↑ DRUNK
↑ EAT
↑ TASTE
↑ DELICIOUS
◆◆◆
1. to drink something
▷ drink /drɪŋk/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to take liquid into your mouth and swallow it :
▪ Drink your coffee before it gets cold.
▪ Is this water safe to drink?
▪ He was drinking vodka straight from the bottle.
▪ She picked up the cup and began to drink thirstily.
▷ have /hæv/ [transitive verb not in passive]
to have a drink of something :
▪ We always have tea in the morning.
▪ Robin was driving, so he just had a glass of orange juice.
▪ We had a couple of beers and talked about old times.
have a drink (of something)
▪ Can I have a drink of water, please?
▪ Sit down and have a drink.
▷ take /teɪk/ [transitive verb]
to drink a small amount or a single mouthful of something :
▪ He was very weak, but managed to take a mouthful of water from my bottle.
▪ Jody took another sip of wine.
▷ sip /sɪp/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to drink something slowly, in very small amounts :
▪ Sue sat at the bar sipping a Martini.
▪ She sipped water all the way through the interview.
sip [countable noun]
▪ Can I just try a sip, to see if I like it.
sip of
▪ Jenny cautiously took a couple of sips of the liquid.
▷ quench your thirst /ˌkwentʃ jɔːʳ ˈθɜːʳst/ [verb phrase] written
to drink something in order to stop being thirsty :
▪ We stopped in a small village to quench our thirst and refuel the jeep.
thirst-quenching [adjective]
▪ Ice-cool, thirst-quenching beers on sale here!
▷ slurp /slɜːʳp/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to drink liquid while making a noisy sucking sound :
▪ He bent his face over the steaming bowl and slurped loudly.
▪ The old man started to slurp his beer.
▷ lap/lap up /læp, ˌlæp ˈʌp/ [transitive verb/transitive phrasal verb]
if an animal laps or laps up a liquid, it drinks it with quick movements of its tongue :
▪ We spotted the cubs lapping water from a stream in the forest.
lap something up
▪ The tiny creature started to lap the milk up eagerly.
lap up something
▪ A large dog lapped up the gravy that had spilt on the floor.
2. to drink very quickly
▷ gulp/gulp down /gʌlp, ˌgʌlp ˈdaʊn/ [transitive verb/transitive phrasal verb]
to drink something quickly, taking large mouthfuls :
▪ I gulped down my tea and dashed out of the house.
▪ Rodney gulped his wine nervously.
▪ Manny gulped his beer down and followed me.
gulp [countable noun]
▪ She finished the drink in a single gulp.
▷ swig /swɪg/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to drink something quickly, especially from a bottle, taking large mouthfuls :
▪ The soldiers took it in turns to swig vodka.
▪ Jack swigged the last of his tea and got up to leave.
swig from
▪ The old man wandered along, swigging occasionally from a whiskey bottle.
swig [countable noun]
▪ He took a swig of brandy from a small metal flask.
3. to drink all of something
▷ drink up /ˌdrɪŋk ˈʌp/ [intransitive/transitive phrasal verb]
▪ Come on, drink up. I want to go home.
drink something up
▪ Come on, drink your milk up.
drink up something
▪ She drank up her brandy and signalled to the waiter to bring another.
▷ knock back /ˌnɒk ˈbækǁˌnɑːk-/ [transitive phrasal verb] informal
to quickly drink large quantities of an alcoholic drink :
knock back something
▪ Two bored-looking businessmen were knocking back glasses of schnapps.
▪ He knocked back the last of the bourbon, then lit his last cigarette.
knock something back
▪ When his whisky arrived, he knocked it back in a single gulp.
▷ down /daʊn/ [transitive verb]
to drink all of a drink fairly quickly, especially an alcoholic drink :
▪ The servant brought a glass of water, which I downed in a single mouthful.
▪ After downing a whole bottle of tequila, she swallowed several dozen sleeping tablets.
▷ drain /dreɪn/ [transitive verb]
drain a bottle/glass/cup etc
to drink everything that is in a bottle etc, including the last few drops :
▪ Jim drained his glass then offered to buy everyone another one.
▪ Hurriedly draining her cup, she reached for her purse.
▷ polish off /ˌpɒlɪʃ ˈɒfǁˌpɑː-/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to finish something that you enjoy drinking, especially quickly or before someone else can drink it :
polish something off
▪ I think I’ll polish that last beer off before George gets in.
polish off something
▪ Did you polish off all the wine last night?
4. something that you drink
▷ drink /drɪŋk/ [countable noun]
something that you drink :
▪ ‘Would you like a drink?’ ‘Yes, I’ll have a lemonade please.’
▪ a nice cool drink
▪ She tipped her drink over his head and stormed out.
a drink of something
▪ Give the children a drink of milk and something to eat.
food and drink(s)
▪ You can bring your own food and drink to the picnic.
▪ It’s under $10 for lunch and drinks at the Ivy Bush.
▷ something to drink /ˌsʌmθɪŋ tə ˈdrɪŋk/ [noun phrase] especially spoken
a drink :
▪ I’m really thirsty. Let’s stop for something to drink.
▪ Can I get you something to drink?
▷ beverage /ˈbev ə rɪdʒ/ [countable noun] written
a word meaning something that you drink -- used especially in restaurants and by people in the food and drinks business :
▪ Non-alcoholic beverages will be on sale in the foyer.
5. drinks that contain gas or do not contain gas
▷ carbonated also fizzy British /ˈkɑːʳbəneɪtɪd, ˈkɑːʳbəneɪtəd, ˈfɪzi/ [adjective]
carbonated or fizzy drinks have gas in them :
▪ fizzy lemonade
▪ I don’t like fizzy drinks much.
▪ I’d like a glass of carbonated mineral water, please.
▷ sparkling /ˈspɑːʳklɪŋ/ [adjective]
sparkling water or wine has gas in it :
▪ a sweet, sparkling wine
▪ a bottle of sparkling mineral water
▷ still British /uncarbonated American /stɪl, ʌnˈkɑːʳbəneɪtə̇d/ [adjective]
still or uncarbonated drinks, especially water, do not have gas in them :
▪ Would you like that still or sparkling, madam?
▷ flat /flæt/ [adjective]
if a drink that should contain gas is flat, there is no gas left in and it is not pleasant to drink :
▪ I don’t know why some English people prefer flat beer.
go flat
▪ That champagne must have gone flat by now.
6. drinks that contain alcohol
▷ alcohol /ˈælkəhɒlǁ-hɔːl/ [uncountable noun]
drinks that contain alcohol - used especially in rules and warnings about alcoholic drinks :
▪ We’re not allowed to serve alcohol to people under 18.
▪ low-alcohol wines not containing a lot of alcohol
▪ He doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke.
▪ She could smell alcohol on his breath.
alcoholic /ˌælkəˈhɒlɪk◂ǁ-ˈhɔː-/ [adjective]
containing alcohol :
▪ You can’t sell alcoholic drinks unless you have a licence.
▷ drink /drɪŋk/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a drink that contains alcohol. In British English, drink can also be an uncountable noun, meaning alcoholic drinks in general :
▪ ‘Can I get you a drink?’ ‘I’ll have a gin and tonic, please.’
▪ After a few drinks, Rick began to feel better.
▪ They’ve always got loads of drink in the house.
go (out) for a drink
go somewhere such as a bar to drink alcohol
▪ Do you feel like going out for a drink tonight?
▪ They all went for a drink together after the film.
▷ liquor /ˈlɪkəʳ/ [uncountable noun] American
drinks that contain alcohol, especially strong alcoholic drinks :
▪ The man was holding a bottle of liquor in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
▪ a liquor store
hard liquor
strong alcoholic drinks
▪ He got used to drinking hard liquor at an early age.
▷ booze /buːz/ [uncountable noun] informal
alcoholic drinks :
▪ The doctor told Jimmy to stay off the booze for a while.
▪ The prince is known for his love of women, gambling, and booze.
7. drinks that do not contain alcohol
▷ soft drink /ˌsɒft ˈdrɪŋkǁˌsɔːft-/ [countable noun]
a cold drink, such as fruit juice, which does not contain alcohol :
▪ Do you want a beer, or would you prefer a soft drink?
▪ a soft drinks manufacturer
▷ non-alcoholic /ˌnɒn ælkəˈhɒlɪk◂ǁ-ˈhɔː-/ [adjective]
a non-alcoholic drink does not contain alcohol - use this especially about drinks that are normally alcoholic :
▪ We got some non-alcoholic wine for Lisa because she doesn’t drink.
▪ non-alcoholic beer
▷ low-alcohol /ˌləʊ ˈælkəhɒl◂ǁ-hɔːl◂/ [adjective]
low-alcohol beer or wine contains very little alcohol :
▪ There is a growing market for low-alcohol beers.
▪ There’s quite a variety of low-alcohol drinks available now.
8. to drink alcohol
▷ have a drink /hæv ə ˈdrɪŋk/ [verb phrase]
to drink something alcoholic :
▪ We had a few drinks to celebrate.
▪ You can’t have a drink if you’re driving Mary home.
▪ Cliff wanted us all to go and have a drink after the show.
▷ drink /drɪŋk/ [intransitive verb]
to drink alcohol, especially regularly :
▪ He’s been depressed, and drinking a lot more recently.
▪ Did you drink a lot over Christmas?
▪ It was obvious that Jimmy had been drinking.
drink and drive
drink alcohol before driving your car
▪ I think people who drink and drive should be banned from driving permanently.
drink heavily
drink a lot
▪ It was clear that Malone had been drinking heavily.
▪ She’s been drinking more heavily recently.
drink like a fish
informal regularly
▪ My uncle drinks like a fish, and has done for years.
drinking [uncountable noun]
▪ His family life is beginning to be affected by his drinking.
▪ We went out drinking last night.
9. someone who never drinks alcohol
▷ don’t drink/doesn’t drink /ˌdəʊnt ˈdrɪŋk, ˌdʌz ə nt ˈdrɪŋk/ [intransitive verb]
▪ I’ll have orange juice please. I don’t drink.
▪ Ben is the only one of my friends who doesn’t drink.
▷ teetotaller British /teetotaler American /tiːˈtəʊt ə ləʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who never drinks anything containing alcohol, often for religious or moral reasons :
▪ He’s recently become a strict teetotaller.
▪ We’re not teetotalers, but we recommend sensible drinking limits.
teetotal /ˌtiːˈtəʊtl◂/ [adjective]
▪ He’s a teetotal, non-smoking vegetarian yoga teacher.
▷ not touch /nɒt ˈtʌtʃ/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to not drink even a little of anything alcoholic, usually because you have decided to stop drinking alcohol :
▪ I used to drink a bottle of whisky a week but I never touch it these days.
not touch a drop
▪ ‘Rick hasn’t touched a drop in years,’ said Mrs Marsden proudly.
10. to stop drinking alcoholic drinks
▷ give up drinking/stop drinking /ˌgɪv ʌp ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ, ˌstɒp ˈdrɪŋkɪŋǁ-ˌstɑːp-/ [verb phrase]
to stop drinking anything alcoholic, especially because it is becoming a problem :
▪ Sam’s been told that unless he stops drinking, he could be dead within a year.
▪ I didn’t realize I had a problem until I tried to give up drinking but couldn’t.
▷ be on the wagon /biː ɒn ðə ˈwægen/ [verb phrase] informal
no longer drink alcohol, or to have stopped drinking alcohol for a short time :
▪ Do you want a beer, Harry, or are you still on the wagon?
▪ I thought you were on the wagon!
11. what people say when they drink alcohol together
▷ cheers /tʃɪəʳz/ spoken
say this as you raise your glass when you are drinking with someone :
▪ They all clinked glasses and said ‘Cheers!’
▷ here’s to ... /ˈhɪəʳz tuː/ spoken
say this when you want other people to drink with you to wish someone happiness or success :
▪ Here’s to Clare and Malcolm! May they have a long and happy marriage!