Bottoms Up! English Expressions for Drinking
From wine to beer, and from sake to whiskey, enjoying alcohol is a pastime that is popular around the world.
Even if you don't drink alcohol yourself, it's useful to know terms and expressions related to drinking. After all, alcohol may be a part of meetings with friends, office or holiday parties, and even scenes from your favorite films and television shows. Make sure you understand and can join the conversation when the opportunities appear!
By the way, "bottoms up" is a casual way of saying "Cheers!"
Expressions for drinking
Sip
"Sipping" a drink means drinking a very small amount at one time.
Just like "drink" can be either a verb or a noun, sip can be used as both, depending on the sentence.
I like to sip my wine slowly so I can really appreciate the flavor.
If you want to know how this beer tastes, you can have a sip of mine.
As a verb, it can also be expressed as "take a sip."
He leaned against the wall while taking a sip of his drink.
Nurse a drink
If you imagine a nurse, you probably think of someone who is gentle and careful.
Similarly, we say that someone is "nursing" a drink when they hold on to it for a long time and drink it slowly. The nuance is that they are handling their drink very carefully as if it were a small baby.
This expression is often used in a negative way to express that someone is too scared to drink or that even a little alcohol will make them drunk.
Stop nursing that beer and drink it!
Some people also say “babysit a drink,” which has the same meaning.
She’s been babysitting that drink for the last hour.
Slam/Pound (a beer)
This is the opposite of sipping a drink; it means to drink a can/glass/bottle of beer very quickly.
This term comes from the way people often hit the can on the table after they’ve finished. It’s usually only used for beer, not for wine or other types of alcohol.
Hurry up and pound that beer so we can go to the next bar.
He slammed three beers just before happy hour ended.
Chug
Similar to slamming a beer, someone "chugs" a drink if they don't take the bottle, can or glass away from their mouth until it is empty.
Chug is an example of an onomatopoeic word, or a word that copies a sound. In this case, it's the repetitive sound often made by small machines when they operate. The sound of someone swallowing a liquid is similar.
Sid was totally drunk after chugging those beers.
People often chant "Chug!" when encouraging friends to drink quickly. Of course, this is only appropriate in casual situations among friends.
Down
This "down" is actually a verb! It means to drink something completely, until the glass, bottle, etc. is empty.
Everyone at the party was downing champagne to celebrate the newly married couple.
Knock back
"Knock back" is often used when referring to drinking beer casually.
We went to the local bar to knock back some beers after a busy day.
Do shots
Shots are small amounts of strong alcohol served in special glasses. They are meant to be drunk quickly and all at once.
People usually do not say "drink a shot" — instead, it is "do a shot."
I have a serious headache. I knew it was a bad idea to do those tequila shots last night.
Levels of intoxication
"Intoxication" is a noun referring to how drunk someone is. A person who has been drinking is "intoxicated."
There are different expressions for describing someone's level of intoxication, starting from no alcohol up to too much alcohol!
Sober
Someone is sober if they have not been drinking, and therefore are not intoxicated at all.
I'm driving, so I'm staying sober tonight.
Additionally, sober is used to talk about a lifestyle or for referring to a long period of time when someone has not been drinking.
He used to have an alcohol problem, but he's been sober for four years now.
Buzzed / Have a buzz
We say that a person with a low level of intoxication is "buzzed" or "has a buzz." This is not drunk, but it is also not sober.
She drank only enough to get buzzed.
I always enjoy karaoke the most when I've got a buzz.
Tipsy
The verb "tip" means to push something so that it loses balance and falls. Similarly, someone who is intoxicated may have trouble standing or walking, so we say they are "tipsy."
My friend is getting tipsy, so I need to keep my eye on her to make sure she's OK.
Ben’s really funny when he’s tipsy.
Drunk
Someone who is quite intoxicated is "drunk."
I couldn't remember anything I said while I was drunk.
He's not walking straight, so he must be drunk.
Smashed
The verb "smash" means to destroy. When someone is very drunk, they cannot function properly, like a broken device.
I got smashed really early last night, so I didn't make it to the after-party.
In British English, people often use "pissed" in a similar way. But be careful: in American English, it's a rude word meaning very angry!
I was woken up by a group of pissed college students singing outside my building.
Other alcohol-related expressions
Lightweight
Different people have different tolerances, or amounts of alcohol that they can drink comfortably. Someone with a low tolerance is casually called a "lightweight."
Earl
Have another drink.
Ethel
No, one is enough for me; I’m a lightweight.
Have too many
This expression is a simple way to say someone has had too much alcohol.
The bartender won’t serve Charlie any more drinks; he’s already had too many.
I think I’ve had too many. I’m going home.
Drink (someone) under the table
We use this expression to say that one person can drink much more alcohol than someone else. It creates the image of someone getting so drunk that they fall off of their seat and land under the table where they were sitting.
I went out with Frank last weekend, and he drank me under the table.
= Frank was able to drink much more alcohol than me.
Handle one’s liquor
This expression is used to talk about how much alcohol someone can drink. Someone who can "handle their liquor" can drink a lot. However, someone who can't either gets drunk very quickly or behaves badly or strangely when they drink.
I've never seen Max drunk, even though he drinks a lot. He can really handle his liquor.
Bill always wants to fight someone whenever he drinks. He can’t handle his liquor at all.
Last call
Whether you're enjoying a glass of wine with close friends at home or meeting new people in a lively bar, you'll need to know the right terms for talking about drinking. Try these expressions out the next time you're enjoying a drink — and always remember to drink responsibly!
If you would like to learn more terms and expressions related to alcohol, be sure to read our article on English for bartenders.
