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quaff

[kwof, kwaf, kwawf]
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verb (used without object)

to drink a beverage, especially an intoxicating one, copiously and with hearty enjoyment.

verb (used with object)

to drink (a beverage) copiously and heartily: We spent the whole evening quaffing ale.

noun

an act or instance of quaffing.
a beverage quaffed.

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RELATED WORDS

sip, swill, imbibe, swig, gulp, guzzle, toss, partake, down, ingurgitate, sup, swallow

Nearby words

  1. quadrupole,
  2. quads,
  3. quaere,
  4. quaestor,
  5. quaestorial,
  6. quag,
  7. quagga,
  8. quaggy,
  9. quagmire,
  10. quahog

Origin of quaff

First recorded in 1515–25; origin uncertain
Related formsquaff·er, nounout·quaff, verb (used with object)un·quaffed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for quaff

British Dictionary definitions for quaff

quaff

verb

to drink heartily or in one draught
Derived Formsquaffable, adjectivequaffer, noun

Word Origin for quaff

C16: perhaps of imitative origin; compare Middle Low German quassen to eat or drink excessively
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for quaff

quaff

v.

1510s (implied in quaffer), perhaps imitative, or perhaps from Low German quassen "to overindulge (in food and drink)," with -ss- misread as -ff-. Related: Quaffed; quaffing. The noun is attested by 1570s, from the verb.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper