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drink

(drĭngk)

v. drank (drăngk), drunk (drŭngk), drink·ing, drinks

v.tr.

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

2. To swallow the liquid contents of (a vessel): drank a cup of tea.

3. To take in or soak up; absorb: drank the fresh air; spongy earth that drank up the rain.

4. To take in eagerly through the senses or intellect: drank in the beauty of the day.

a. To give or make (a toast).

b. To toast (a person or an occasion, for example): We'll drink your health.

6. To bring to a specific state by drinking alcoholic beverages: drank our sorrows away.

v.intr.

1. To swallow liquid: drank noisily; drink from a goblet.

2. To drink alcoholic beverages: They only drink socially.

3. To salute a person or an occasion with a toast: We will drink to your continued success.

a. A liquid that is fit for drinking; a beverage.

b. An alcoholic beverage, such as a cocktail or beer.

c. Chiefly Southern US See soft drink. tonic

2. An amount of liquid swallowed: took a long drink from the fountain.

3. Liquid for drinking: The host provided food and drink.

4. Excessive or habitual indulgence in alcoholic liquor.

5. Slang A body of water; the sea: The hatch cover slid off the boat and into the drink.

Idiom:

drink the Kool-Aid

To become an unquestioning advocate for a group, cause, or belief.

[Middle English drinken, from Old English drincan; see dhreg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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