People often use idioms to talk about things in a fun or clever way. An idiom is a phrase that means something different from the exact words used. For example, if someone says “spill the beans,” they don’t mean dropping beans on the floor—they mean to share a secret. In this lesson, we will look at idioms that are used when people talk about alcohol.
Even though drinking alcohol is for adults, idioms about it appear in books, movies, and conversations. Learning these idioms helps students understand what they hear or read. Some of these idioms describe drinking too much, while others talk about avoiding alcohol. This topic can help build stronger language skills by showing how people use indirect phrases to talk about serious or everyday things.
Idioms for Alcohol
1. Hit the bottle
Meaning: To drink alcohol often, usually too much
Example: After losing his job, he started to hit the bottle. / She hit the bottle when she felt really stressed.
Put Differently: He began drinking a lot every day. / She drank too much to forget her problems.
2. Drink like a fish
Meaning: To drink a lot of alcohol
Example: Uncle Joe drinks like a fish at family parties. / Some people drink like a fish on holidays.
Put Differently: He drinks way too much. / They always have lots of alcohol at events.
3. Booze it up
Meaning: To drink alcohol in a fun or careless way
Example: They boozed it up at the weekend barbecue. / He likes to booze it up with his friends.
Put Differently: They had a lot of drinks at the party. / He drank with his friends just for fun.
4. On the rocks
Meaning: A drink served with ice
Example: He ordered a cola on the rocks. / She wanted her juice on the rocks.
Put Differently: He wanted ice in his drink. / She asked for a cold drink with ice.
5. Bottoms up
Meaning: A phrase people say before drinking
Example: Everyone shouted “Bottoms up!” before taking a sip. / They lifted their cups and said “Bottoms up.”
Put Differently: They said “cheers” before drinking. / People raised their drinks and took a sip.
6. Knock one back
Meaning: To drink something quickly
Example: He knocked back a soda before the movie started. / She knocked one back after dinner.
Put Differently: He drank it fast. / She finished her drink quickly.
7. One too many
Meaning: To drink more alcohol than one should
Example: He had one too many and got dizzy. / She had one too many and felt sick.
Put Differently: He drank too much. / She had more drinks than her body could handle.
8. Paint the town red
Meaning: To go out and celebrate, often with alcohol
Example: They painted the town red after the game. / She wanted to paint the town red on her birthday.
Put Differently: They went out to party and have fun. / She wanted to celebrate with friends.
9. Three sheets to the wind
Meaning: Very drunk
Example: He was three sheets to the wind after the wedding. / They were three sheets to the wind after dinner.
Put Differently: He could barely stand after drinking. / They had way too much alcohol.
10. Tipple
Meaning: A small amount of alcohol someone drinks often
Example: Grandpa enjoys his evening tipple. / She has a little tipple after work.
Put Differently: He drinks a small amount each day. / She enjoys a drink sometimes.
11. Raise a glass
Meaning: To make a toast or drink in honor of something
Example: They raised a glass for Grandma’s birthday. / Let’s raise a glass to good health.
Put Differently: They made a toast to celebrate. / People drank to honor someone special.
12. In his cups
Meaning: Drunk or drinking
Example: He was clearly in his cups by the end of the party. / When she’s in her cups, she gets loud.
Put Differently: He was very drunk. / She acts differently when she drinks.
13. Wet your whistle
Meaning: To have a drink, usually alcohol
Example: He stopped at the diner to wet his whistle. / She needed to wet her whistle after the long walk.
Put Differently: He wanted something to drink. / She was thirsty after walking.
14. Tie one on
Meaning: To drink a lot of alcohol
Example: He tied one on at the baseball game. / She tied one on during the reunion.
Put Differently: He drank a lot. / She had too many drinks.
15. Happy hour
Meaning: A time when drinks are cheaper at restaurants
Example: They went out for happy hour after work. / Happy hour starts at 4 p.m. at the café.
Put Differently: Drinks cost less during this time. / People go out for drinks when they are cheaper.
16. Under the influence
Meaning: A person who has alcohol in their system
Example: He was driving under the influence. / She shouldn’t be under the influence at school. Put Differently: He drove after drinking. / She had alcohol in her body.
17. Cold one
Meaning: A bottle or can of beer
Example: He grabbed a cold one from the fridge. / She opened a cold one at the picnic.
Put Differently: He got a cold drink. / She enjoyed a cold beer.
18. Buzzed
Meaning: Slightly drunk
Example: He felt buzzed after one drink. / She was buzzed but still okay to walk.
Put Differently: He felt a little tipsy. / She wasn’t fully drunk but not clear-headed.
19. Bartender’s choice
Meaning: A drink picked by the bartender
Example: He ordered the bartender’s choice. / She said, “Surprise me,” and got the bartender’s choice.
Put Differently: The bartender chose the drink. / She let someone else pick for her.
20. A stiff drink
Meaning: A strong alcoholic drink
Example: He needed a stiff drink after the long day. / She asked for a stiff drink at dinner.
Put Differently: He wanted a strong drink. / She wanted something with more alcohol.
21. Drink someone under the table
Meaning: To be able to drink more alcohol than another person
Example: He can drink his friends under the table. / She drank her cousin under the table at the wedding.
Put Differently: He drank more than everyone else. / She kept drinking while others stopped.
22. Nightcap
Meaning: A final drink before going to bed
Example: He had a nightcap before going to sleep. / She poured herself a nightcap after a long day.
Put Differently: He had one last drink at night. / She drank something before bedtime.
23. Hit the sauce
Meaning: To drink alcohol often or too much
Example: He started hitting the sauce again. / She’s been hitting the sauce a lot lately.
Put Differently: He’s been drinking again. / She drinks more than usual.
24. Have a few
Meaning: To drink a small amount of alcohol
Example: They had a few while watching the game. / He had a few at the party but stayed calm.
Put Differently: They drank a little bit. / He didn’t drink too much.
25. Liquid courage
Meaning: Confidence gained by drinking alcohol
Example: He needed some liquid courage to sing on stage. / She used liquid courage to ask a question.
Put Differently: He drank to feel brave. / The drink helped her feel less shy.
26. Have a drink on me
Meaning: I will pay for your drink
Example: “Have a drink on me,” said his uncle. / She told her friend, “It’s your birthday have a drink on me.”
Put Differently: Someone offered to pay for a drink. / It was a treat from a friend.
27. Drink to that
Meaning: To agree and celebrate something with a drink
Example: “To good friends!” “I’ll drink to that!” . / He said he’d drink to good news.
Put Differently: They agreed and raised their glasses. / They wanted to celebrate with a drink.
28. Bottom drawer drink
Meaning: A special drink saved for later
Example: Grandpa brought out his bottom drawer drink on New Year’s. / She saved her bottom drawer drink for a big day.
Put Differently: It was a drink saved for a special time. / They didn’t drink it every day.
29. Sauced
Meaning: Drunk
Example: He was totally sauced by the end of the evening. / She got sauced at the birthday party.
Put Differently: He had way too much alcohol. / She was clearly not sober.
30. Hair of the dog
Meaning: A small drink to feel better after drinking too much
Example: He had a hair of the dog after a long night. / Some people believe in the hair of the dog.
Put Differently: He drank again to feel better. It was a morning-after drink.
31. Throw one back
Meaning: To drink something quickly
Example: He threw one back and left the bar. / She threw one back before heading home.
Put Differently: He drank it fast. / She had a quick drink
32. Have a few too many
Meaning: To drink more than one should
Example: He had a few too many and couldn’t walk straight. / She had a few too many at the party.
Put Differently: He drank too much. / She had more than her limit.
33. Go on a bender
Meaning: To drink a lot for several days
Example: He went on a bender after the breakup. / They were on a bender all weekend.
Put Differently: He drank for many days in a row. / They didn’t stop drinking for days.
34. Be a lightweight
Meaning: To get drunk easily
Example: She’s a lightweight and only needs one drink. / He’s such a lightweight, one glass is enough.
Put Differently: She can’t drink much. / He gets dizzy fast.
35. Be a heavy drinker
Meaning: A person who drinks a lot
Example: He’s known to be a heavy drinker. / She became a heavy drinker over time.
Put Differently: He drinks more than most. / She has alcohol often.
36. Take the edge off
Meaning: To drink to feel more relaxed
Example: He had a drink to take the edge off after work. / She used it to take the edge off her nerves.
Put Differently: He drank to feel calmer. / She wanted to relax with a drink.
37. Spiked drink
Meaning: A drink with alcohol added secretly or unexpectedly
Example: He didn’t know the punch was spiked. / Someone spiked the soda at the party.
Put Differently: The drink had alcohol in it without people knowing. / It wasn’t just juice.
38. On a dry spell
Meaning: Not drinking alcohol for a while
Example: He’s been on a dry spell since January. / She’s trying a dry spell for her health.
Put Differently: He stopped drinking for now. / She’s taking a break from alcohol.
39. Drink away your problems
Meaning: To drink to forget something sad
Example: He tried to drink away his problems. / She drank to forget the bad news.
Put Differently: He used alcohol to stop thinking about things. / She drank because she was upset.
40. Too much to drink
Meaning: Having more alcohol than is safe
Example: He had too much to drink and fell asleep. / She had too much to drink and felt sick.
Put Differently: He overdid it with the drinks. / She drank more than her body could handle.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity: Idioms about Alcohol
Below are 10 sentences expressing feelings or situations about aging without using idioms. Your task is to rewrite each sentence using one of the idioms from the previous sections. Be sure to make the new sentences sound natural and keep the meaning the same.
Sentences to Rewrite
- After work, Uncle Joe drank a strong drink to relax.
- Dad always adds ice to his drinks.
- At the family cookout, Mike drank more than he should have.
- Aunt Kelly toasted Grandma with her glass of juice.
- Some adults drink because they are feeling sad.
- After a long week, Brian drank a little just to feel calm.
- Mom had one drink before bedtime.
- They had drinks and celebrated at the restaurant.
- Josh felt funny after one small drink.
- Emily let her friend pick the drink for her.
Answer Key
- After work, Uncle Joe drank a strong drink to relax’. Uncle Joe had a stiff drink after work.
- Dad always adds ice to his drinks. Dad likes his drinks on the rocks.
- At the family cookout, Mike drank more than he should have. Mike had one too many at the cookout.
- Aunt Kelly toasted Grandma with her glass of juice. Aunt Kelly raised a glass to Grandma.Some adults drink because they are feeling sad. Some adults drink away their problems.
- After a long week, Brian drank a little just to feel calm. Brian had a drink to take the edge off.
- Mom had one drink before bedtime. Mom had a nightcap before bed.
- They had drinks and celebrated at the restaurant. They painted the town red at the restaurant.
- Josh felt funny after one small drink. Josh was buzzed after one drink.
- Emily let her friend pick the drink for her. Emily ordered the bartender’s choice.
Conclusion
Idioms help people say things in a way that feels more natural and less direct. Even when the topic is serious like alcohol these phrases are used in everyday conversations, movies, and books.
By learning these idioms, students can better understand what adults say or what they hear in stories. Knowing them can also help students notice how language works in different situations, even when the topic isn’t for kids.
