drinking
    n 1: the act of consuming liquids [syn: drinking, imbibing,
         imbibition]
    2: the act of drinking alcoholic beverages to excess; "drink was
       his downfall" [syn: drink, drinking, boozing,
       drunkenness, crapulence]

Drink \Drink\ (dr[i^][ng]k), v. i. [imp. Drank (dr[a^][ng]k),
   formerly Drunk (dr[u^][ng]k); & p. p. Drunk, Drunken
   (-'n); p. pr. & vb. n. Drinking. Drunken is now rarely
   used, except as a verbal adj. in sense of habitually
   intoxicated; the form drank, not infrequently used as a p.
   p., is not so analogical.] [AS. drincan; akin to OS. drinkan,
   D. drinken, G. trinken, Icel. drekka, Sw. dricka, Dan.
   drikke, Goth. drigkan. Cf. Drench, Drunken, Drown.]
   1. To swallow anything liquid, for quenching thirst or other
      purpose; to imbibe; to receive or partake of, as if in
      satisfaction of thirst; as, to drink from a spring.
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            Gird thyself, and serve me, till have eaten and
            drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink.
                                                  --Luke xvii.
                                                  8.
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            He shall drink of the wrath the Almighty. --Job xxi.
                                                  20.
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            Drink of the cup that can not cloy.   --Keble.
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   2. To quaff exhilarating or intoxicating liquors, in
      merriment or feasting; to carouse; to revel; hence, to
      lake alcoholic liquors to excess; to be intemperate in the
      ?se of intoxicating or spirituous liquors; to tipple.
      --Pope.
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            And they drank, and were merry with him. --Gem.
                                                  xliii. 34.
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            Bolingbroke always spoke freely when he had drunk
            freely.                               --Thackeray.
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   To drink to, to salute in drinking; to wish well to, in the
      act of taking the cup; to pledge in drinking.
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            I drink to the general joy of the whole table,
            And to our dear friend Banquo.        --Shak.
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Drinking \Drink"ing\, n.
   1. The act of one who drinks; the act of imbibing.
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   2. The practice of partaking to excess of intoxicating
      liquors.
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   3. An entertainment with liquors; a carousal.
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   Note: Drinking is used adjectively, or as the first part of a
         compound; as, a drinking song, drinking cup, drinking
         glass, drinking house, etc.
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   Drinking horn, a drinking vessel made of a horn.
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