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quaff

verb
\ ˈkwäf How to pronounce quaff (audio) , ˈkwaf How to pronounce quaff (audio) \
quaffed; quaffing; quaffs

Definition of quaff

transitive verb

: to drink (a beverage) deeply

intransitive verb

: to drink deeply
Other Words from quaff Synonyms Quaff and Slug Example Sentences Learn More about quaff

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Other Words from quaff

quaff noun
quaffer noun

Quaff and Slug

Nowadays, quaff has an old-fashioned, literary sound to it. For more contemporary words that suggest drinking a lot of something, especially in big gulps and in large quantity, you might try drain, pound, or slug. If you are a daintier drinker, you might say that you prefer to sip, imbibe or partake in the beverage of your choice. Quaff is by no means the oldest of these terms—earliest evidence of it in use is from the early 1500s, whereas sip dates to the 14th century—but it is the only one with the mysterious "origin unknown" etymology.

Examples of quaff in a Sentence

We stopped at a bar and quaffed a few beers. after digging our car out of the snowdrift, we were ready to quaff some hot chocolate

Recent Examples on the Web

 But the place is more than just a pretty spot to quaff creative beers. — Andre Meunier, oregonlive.com, "Experimentation, education served up in style at Labrewatory: Portland Breweries Series," 7 Aug. 2019 Mezcal, a globally popular spirit, can be quaffed in the villages where it is made. — The Economist, "Can tourism boost one of Mexico’s poorest states?," 25 July 2019 Zimmerman provides plenty of pointers on how to start out with minimal equipment and end up with a boozy reward similar to what Leif Eriksen might have quaffed. — Gemma Tarlach, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Bounty of the bees extends far beyond honey for your tea - to lotions, balms and even drinks," 16 July 2019 Bounding about from cupboard to fridge, the animal commences to eat all the food in the house and to quaff all the milk from the milk jug, the tea from the teapot, and the water from the tap. — Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, "Mog the Cat and the Mysteries of Animal Subjectivity," 20 June 2019 In 1519, Montezuma II and the Spanish invader Hernán Cortés famously quaffed the cold, frothy brew at a feast in the capital Tenochtitlán (now Mexico City). — Franz Lidz, Smithsonian, "The Delicious, Ancient History of Chocolate and Vanilla," 11 July 2019 More than a few headed to the nearby Balls Brothers restaurant and bar and were seen quaffing prosecco and beer. — Bloomberg, latimes.com, "Deutsche Bank’s big overhaul leaves investors unimpressed," 8 July 2019 In an outdoor corridor, a glass patio table is set with floral-patterned china, just like when the Queen Mother dropped by and quaffed a vodka-and-beef-bouillon Bullshot with Coward. — Norma Meyer, San Diego Union-Tribune, "James Bond’s Jamaican roots," 13 June 2019 This leaves us with little choice but to fire up the coffee kettle and quaff a few cups of stimulation. — Ed Silverman, STAT, "Pharmalittle: An ALS drug may become available under ‘right to try’; Takeda shareholders look to derail Shire deal," 11 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quaff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of quaff

1523, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

History and Etymology for quaff

origin unknown

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More Definitions for quaff

quaff

verb
How to pronounce quaff (audio) How to pronounce quaff (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of quaff

old-fashioned + literary : to drink a large amount of (something) quickly

See the full definition for quaff in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on quaff

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for quaff

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