drink

[dringk]

verb (used without object)

drank , drunk, drunk, drank, drinking. .

1. to take water or other liquid into the mouth and swallow it; imbibe.

2. to imbibe alcoholic drinks, especially habitually or to excess; tipple: They won't find jobs until they stop drinking.

   He never drinks.

   They won't find jobs until they stop drinking.

   Synonyms: tope

3. to show one's respect, affection, or hopes with regard to a person, thing, or event by ceremoniously taking a swallow of wine or some other drink (often followed byto ).

   They drank to his victory.

4. to be savored or enjoyed by drinking.

   a wine that will drink deliciously for many years.

verb (used with object)

drank , drunk, drunk, drank, drinking. .

1. to take (a liquid) into the mouth and swallow.

   Synonyms: quaff

2. to take in (a liquid) in any manner; absorb.

3. to take in through the senses, especially with eagerness and pleasure (often followed byin ).

   He drank in the beauty of the scene.

4. to swallow the contents of (a cup, glass, etc.).

5. to propose or participate in a toast to (a person, thing, or event).

   to drink one's health.

   Synonyms: toast

noun

1. any liquid that is swallowed to quench thirst, for nourishment, etc.; beverage.

2. liquor; alcohol.

3. excessive indulgence in alcohol.

   Drink was his downfall.

4. a swallow or draft of liquid; potion.

   She took a drink of water before she spoke.

5. Informal.,  Usually the drink a large body of water, as a lake, ocean, river, etc..

   His teammates threw him in the drink.

drink

/ drɪŋk /

verb

1. to swallow (a liquid); imbibe

2. (tr) to take in or soak up (liquid); absorb

   this plant drinks a lot of water

3. to pay close attention (to); be fascinated (by)

   he drank in the speaker's every word

4. (tr) to bring (oneself into a certain condition) by consuming alcohol

5. to dispose of or ruin by excessive expenditure on alcohol

   he drank away his fortune

6. (intr) to consume alcohol, esp to excess

7. to drink (a toast) in celebration, honour, or hope (of)

8. to be able to drink more intoxicating beverage than someone

9. to salute or celebrate with a toast

10. informal,  to drink alone

noun

1. liquid suitable for drinking; any beverage

2. alcohol or its habitual or excessive consumption

3. a portion of liquid for drinking; draught

4. informal,  the sea

Usage

As with many verbs of the pattern sing, sang, sung and ring, rang, rung, there is some confusion about the forms for the past tense and past participle of drink. The historical reason for this confusion is that originally verbs of this class in Old English had a past-tense singular form in a but a past-tense plural form in u. Generally the form in a has leveled out to become the standard past-tense form: We drank our coffee. However, the past-tense form in u, though considered nonstandard, occurs often in speech: We drunk our coffee. The standard and most frequent form of the past participle of drink in both speech and writing is drunk : Who has drunk all the milk? However, perhaps because of the association of drunk with intoxication, drank is widely used as a past participle in speech by educated persons and must be considered an alternate standard form: The tourists had drank their fill of the scenery.

Confusables Note

See drunk ( def. ).

Other Word Forms

• drinkable adjective
• outdrink verb (used with object)
• overdrink verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of drink¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English drinken, Old English drincan; cognate with Dutch drinken, German trinken, Gothic drinkan, Old Norse drekka

Word History and Origins

Origin of drink¹

Old English drincan; related to Old Frisian drinka, Gothic drigkan, Old High German trinkan

Idioms and Phrases

• drive someone crazy (to drink)
• into the drink
• meat and drink to
• nurse a drink

Synonym Study

Drink, imbibe, sip refer to swallowing liquids. Drink is the general word: to drink coffee. Imbibe is formal in reference to actual drinking; it is used more often in the sense to absorb: to imbibe culture. Sip implies drinking little by little: to sip a cup of broth.

Example Sentences

Some pet cats that live on dairy farms were infected with the H5N1 virus by drinking raw milk.

From Los Angeles Times

Come training and at the weekend, I'd score two goals and then I'd go back and go and drink for two days straight again.

From BBC

Further, people shown drinking or playing a significant role in ads for alcoholic drinks must not be, or seem to be, under 25 years of age.

From BBC

A stray bottle of amaretto – missed in Jones' sweep of the house – triggered another bout of drinking.

From BBC

In it, she opens up for the first time about her historical drinking problems.

From BBC

Related Words

• consume 
• drain 
• gulp 
• guzzle 
• inhale 
• quaff 
• sip 
• slurp 
• suck