Alcohol has been a part of many stories and conversations for a long time. People often use special phrases, called idioms, to talk about drinking or being drunk. These idioms are fun and help explain things in a creative way. Sometimes, these sayings have meanings that are different from the words themselves. Learning these idioms can make it easier to understand what people really mean when they talk about alcohol.
In this article, you will find 30 idioms for alcohol. Each one has a clear meaning and simple examples to help you understand. Knowing these idioms can help you listen better and join in conversations where people use them. Let’s explore these phrases and see how they add color to language about alcohol.
Idioms for Alcohol
1. On the rocks
Meaning: Drinking alcohol with ice cubes.
Samples: He ordered his whiskey on the rocks. / Mom likes her drink on the rocks to keep it cold.
To Put it Another Way: The drink has ice in it. / It’s served cold with ice.
2. Hit the bottle
Meaning: To start drinking alcohol, often too much.
Samples: After the bad news, he hit the bottle. / Sometimes people hit the bottle when they feel sad.
To Put it Another Way: They began drinking a lot. / They used alcohol to cope.
3. Three sheets to the wind
Meaning: Very drunk.
Samples: After the party, he was three sheets to the wind. / She was three sheets to the wind at the wedding.
To Put it Another Way: He was very tipsy. / She was really drunk.
4. On the wagon
Meaning: Not drinking alcohol, especially after drinking a lot.
Samples: He has been on the wagon for six months. / After his doctor’s advice, she got on the wagon.
To Put it Another Way: He stopped drinking. / She is not drinking anymore.
5. Raise a glass
Meaning: To drink together to celebrate.
Samples: Let’s raise a glass to the happy couple. / We raised a glass for Grandma’s birthday.
To Put it Another Way: We drank to celebrate. / We toasted together.
6. Wet your whistle
Meaning: To have a drink, usually alcohol.
Samples: He wet his whistle before dinner. / I need to wet my whistle after playing outside.
To Put it Another Way: Have a quick drink. / Take a sip.
7. Dead drunk
Meaning: Completely drunk.
Samples: He was dead drunk after the party. / She got dead drunk at the festival.
To Put it Another Way: Totally wasted. / Very drunk.
8. Blow off steam
Meaning: To relax or release stress, sometimes by drinking.
Samples: After work, he blows off steam with a beer. / She went out to blow off steam after school.
To Put it Another Way: Relax by drinking. / Calm down after stress.
9. Knock back
Meaning: To drink quickly.
Samples: He knocked back three shots fast. / She knocked back her soda in one gulp.
To Put it Another Way: Drink fast. / Take a quick drink.
10. Booze it up
Meaning: To drink a lot of alcohol, usually at a party.
Samples: They boozed it up at the celebration. / The friends boozed it up all night.
To Put it Another Way: Drink a lot. / Party with drinks.
11. Hair of the dog
Meaning: Drinking alcohol the next morning to cure a hangover.
Samples: He had a little hair of the dog after the party. / Some people use hair of the dog to feel better.
To Put it Another Way: Drink alcohol to feel less sick. / Cure a hangover by drinking.
12. Buzzed
Meaning: Feeling a little drunk but not too much.
Samples: After two beers, she felt buzzed. / He was buzzed but still walking fine.
To Put it Another Way: Slightly drunk. / Lightly tipsy.
13. On a bender
Meaning: Drinking a lot over several days.
Samples: He went on a bender after the big game. / She was on a bender all weekend.
To Put it Another Way: Drinking heavily for days. / A long drinking spree.
14. Smashed
Meaning: Very drunk.
Samples: They got smashed at the party. / After the concert, he was smashed.
To Put it Another Way: Really drunk. / Intoxicated.
15. Drink like a fish
Meaning: To drink a lot of alcohol.
Samples: He drinks like a fish on weekends. / She drinks like a fish at parties.
To Put it Another Way: Drink too much. / Drink heavily.
16. Cold turkey
Meaning: To stop drinking alcohol suddenly.
Samples: He quit drinking cold turkey last month. / She stopped cold turkey and feels better.
To Put it Another Way: Stop drinking all at once. / Quit without slowly reducing.
17. Toast
Meaning: To drink to honor someone or something.
Samples: We made a toast to the team’s success. / They raised their glasses for a toast.
To Put it Another Way: Celebrate by drinking. / Honor with a drink.
18. Liquid courage
Meaning: Alcohol that helps someone feel brave.
Samples: He used liquid courage to talk to the new student. / She had some liquid courage before the speech.
To Put it Another Way: Drink to feel less shy. / Alcohol to feel bold.
19. Drink someone under the table
Meaning: To drink more alcohol than someone else.
Samples: He drank everyone under the table at the party. / She could drink him under the table.
To Put it Another Way: Drink more than others. / Outdrink someone.
20. On the rocks
Meaning: Drinking alcohol with ice cubes.
Samples: Dad drinks his whiskey on the rocks. / Mom likes her wine on the rocks sometimes.
To Put it Another Way: Serve with ice. / Cold with ice.
21. Cut someone off
Meaning: To stop someone from drinking more alcohol.
Samples: The bartender cut him off after too many drinks. / Mom cut me off because I had enough.
To Put it Another Way: Stop giving drinks. / Say no more alcohol.
22. Out cold
Meaning: Passed out from drinking.
Samples: After the party, he was out cold on the couch. / She was out cold after the long night.
To Put it Another Way: Completely unconscious. / Passed out.
23. Pickled
Meaning: Very drunk.
Samples: He was so pickled he couldn’t walk straight. / She got pickled at the barbecue.
To Put it Another Way: Drunk. / Intoxicated.
24. Raise your glass
Meaning: To lift your drink to celebrate.
Samples: Everyone raised their glass at the wedding. / Let’s raise our glass for the birthday boy.
To Put it Another Way: Drink to celebrate. / Toast together.
25. Straight up
Meaning: Alcohol served without anything added, no ice or mixer.
Samples: He prefers his tequila straight up. / The whiskey was served straight up.
To Put it Another Way: Pure alcohol. / No ice or mixer.
26. Blow a fuse
Meaning: To get very angry or upset, sometimes after drinking.
Samples: He blew a fuse when someone spilled his drink. / She blew a fuse at the party.
To Put it Another Way: Get angry. / Lose control.
27. Drop a few
Meaning: To have a few drinks.
Samples: He dropped a few after work with friends. / She dropped a few at the picnic.
To Put it Another Way: Have some drinks. / Drink a little.
28. Bottoms up
Meaning: A phrase said when drinking to encourage finishing the drink.
Samples: The friends said “bottoms up” before drinking. / Mom said “bottoms up” at dinner.
To Put it Another Way: Drink all of it. / Cheers to finishing.
29. Nightcap
Meaning: A last drink before going to bed.
Samples: He had a nightcap after the long day. / She enjoys a nightcap before sleep.
To Put it Another Way: Final drink of the night. / Drink before bed.
30. Buzzkill
Meaning: Something or someone that spoils the fun, including drinking fun.
Samples: Don’t be a buzzkill at the party. / The rules were a buzzkill for the group.
To Put it Another Way: A spoil for fun. / Someone who ruins a good time.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Alcohol
Last Friday, the 5th-grade class had a fun celebration after school. Some of the adults were talking about a party they went to last weekend. Tom said, “I was three sheets to the wind by the end of the night!” Everyone laughed because that means he was very drunk.
Sarah said she has been on the wagon for a while now because she wants to stay healthy. At the same time, Jake talked about how he knocked back a few drinks quickly at the barbecue. His friend warned him, “Be careful, don’t hit the bottle too hard.”
During the party, everyone raised a glass to celebrate the good times. Later, some people had a nightcap before going home. Mia said, “That last drink gave me a little liquid courage to talk to new people.”
At the end of the night, Jake was out cold on the couch. Sarah said, “He definitely boozed it up too much this time!”
Your Task:
Underline or list all 8 idioms you find in this story.
Answer Key
- Three sheets to the wind
- On the wagon
- Knocked back
- Hit the bottle
- Raised a glass
- Nightcap
- Liquid courage
- Out cold
Conclusion
Idioms about alcohol help people talk about drinking in creative and interesting ways. These phrases can explain how someone feels or what happens when they drink. By learning these idioms, you can understand stories and conversations better. It also helps make your own talking and writing more colorful and fun.
Remember, idioms like “on the wagon” or “raise a glass” add meaning beyond just the words. Knowing them gives you a clearer picture of what people really mean.
