drink

DRINGK/dɹɪŋk/

Verbdrinks, drinking, drank, drunk

Noun pluraldrinks

12 meanings of drink

Practice

1
swallow liquidverbtransitive or intransitive
To take water, milk, or another liquid into your mouth and swallow it.
Please drink some water before you go outside.
She drinks a glass of milk every morning.
UsageSay I drank, and I have drunk (not ~~incorrect: have drank~~).
2
beveragenouncountable or uncountable
Something you drink, such as water, juice, or tea.
Can I get you a cold drink?
Hot tea is my favorite drink on cold days.
Similarbeverage
3
have alcoholverbintransitive
To take in alcohol, like beer or wine.
He doesn't drink, so he ordered a soda instead.
They drank far too much at the party last night.
UsageI don't drink means no alcohol.
Similarbooze
Note
4
nouncountable or uncountable
Alcohol, or one glass of beer, wine, or another drink with alcohol in it.
He bought her a drink at the bar.
I'll have a drink before dinner tonight.
UsageWe say go for a drink.
5
verbtransitive
To take in a liquid, whether by swallowing or soaking it up.
Like a sponge soaking up water.
Thirsty roots drink water from deep in the soil.
The dry ground drinks every drop of the rain.
UsageOften drink up.
Similarabsorb, imbibe

Less common meanings

6
one swallownouncountable or uncountable
The act of swallowing some liquid, often a single serving.
He took a long drink of water after the run.
She had a quick drink before the race started.
UsageSay have a drink of water.
Similarsip, swig, gulp, swallow
7
verbtransitive
To lift your glass and drink to wish someone good luck or health.
Like clapping to show you are glad for someone.
Everyone raised a glass and drank to the happy couple.
Drink to lofty hopes that cool — Visions of a perfect State : Drink we, last, the public fool, Frantic love and frantic hate.
1842, Alfred, Lord TennysonHere, drink means to raise a glass and drink in honor of something.
UsageToday we say drink to someone.
Note
8
standard unitnouncountable or uncountable
One serving of beer, wine, or spirits with a set amount of alcohol in it.
Like one scoop being a set portion of ice cream, no matter the flavor.
One drink a day is the limit many doctors suggest.
A regular can of beer counts as one standard drink.
Note
9
take inverbtransitive
To take something in through your senses, such as a sight or a sound.
Like soaking up warm sunshine on your face.
She stood on the hill to drink in the beauty of the sunset.
The children walked slowly to drink in the sights and sounds of the busy fair.
UsageMostly drink in, as in drink in the view.
Similarabsorb, savor
Note
10
downpournounfigurativelyAustraliacountable or uncountable
A heavy fall of rain.
Like giving a thirsty plant a big gulp of water.
The garden got a good drink overnight after a dry week.
The farm finally got a good drink after months of dry weather.
UsageOften a good drink: the rain gave the garden a good drink.
Similarsoaking, watering
Note
11
the seanouncolloquialcountable or uncountable
The sea, a lake, or any large area of water.
His keys slipped off the boat and fell into the drink.
The small plane went down in the drink miles from shore.
UsageSay in the drink: in the water.
Similarwater, sea
Note
12
smokeverbobsoletetransitive
To smoke tobacco by breathing in the smoke.
And some men now live ninety yeeres and past, Who never dranke tobacco first nor last.
1630, Taylor, JohnHere, drank means smoked, an old way to talk about tobacco.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of drink apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12

From Old English drincan, meaning "to drink." Its deeper origin is not certain.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The verb drink comes from Old English drincan, meaning ‘to drink’. en.wiktionary.org
The verb’s deeper origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2, 4, 6, 8, 10–11

The noun comes from Old English drynċ, from an old Germanic word for a drink.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The noun drink comes from Old English drynċ. en.wiktionary.org
Old English drynċ descends from an earlier Germanic word meaning drink. en.wiktionary.org