THE DRUNKTIONARY I-O

Iced
Iced to the eyebrows
Ill - Senator Mills of Arkansas used this in reference to the condition Fanne Fox was in the night they were stopped for reckless driving. Most likely she was not really sick, but drunk. This makes a wonderful euphemism - cf. "Under the weather."
Illuminated - Elaboration of "Lit."
Illuminated with champagne
Imbibed giggle water
Imbibed not wisely but well
Imbibed too freely
Imbibed too much
Impaired
Impixlocated - Tipsy. "Intoxicated" plus "Pixilated." British, early 1900s.
Impixocated
In a bad way
In a difficulty
In a ditch
In a drunken stupor
In a fix
In a fog
In a fuddle
In a general state of fustication - Noted in 1861.
In a glow
In a head
In a heap
In a muddle
In a nod - Usu. used for junkies, but can refer to drunks.
In a rosy glow
In a state of elevation - Since circa 1849.
In a state of intoxication
In a state of temulency
In a stew
In a terrible state of chassis - Extremely "plastered." Anglo-Irish.
In a trance
In a vise
In a zone - Spaced out. Originated in drug lingo. "Zone" means "ozone," so this means very high. Cf. "Zoned."
In armor - Fighting drunk, "pot-valiant." British, 1600s to 1800s.
In bad shape
In bed with one's boots on - So drunk that one cannot take off one's shoes before retiring. This phrase has the additional meaning of "dead," so this could mean "dead drunk."
In beer
In booze
In color
In drink - Since the late 1500s.
In fine/good fettle - British & US, since the 1800s.
In for it
In high spirits
In it low
In liquor - Since the early 1700s.
In Liquor Pond
In Liquor-Pond Street
In merry pin - Happy after having several drafts of ale. Cf. "Pegged too low." "Pin" is another term for the peg used to measure half-pints of ale.
In miraculous high spirits - Scottish, late 1800s.
In Mexico - See "Gone to Mexico."
In one's airs - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
In one's ales
In one's altitudes - In an elevated mood. "Altitudes" is drunkenness. British, 1600s to 1700s.
In one's armor
In one's beer
In one's boots - Very drunk.
In one's cups - Because of its euphemistic and literary tone, this phrase is usu. used jocularly. Since the late 1500s.
In one's element(s)
In one's glory
In one's habits
In one's pots
In one's prosperity
In orbit
In pots
In proper fettle
In rare form
In soak
In the altitudes - Light-headed, giddy. Since the 1700s.
In the bag - Possibly related to "tied a bag on." Or from a phrase meaning "destroyed," from plastic body bags.
In the blues
In the cast-iron horrors - Suffering delirium tremens. Anglo-Irish.
In the cellar
In the clouds
In the Crown/crowning office - See "Been in the crown office."
In the cups
In the ditch
In the down-pins - Derived from the game of skittles. The term "dead man" (cf. "Down among the dead men") can refer to a downed skittle pin as well as an empty bottle.
In the grip of the grape
In the gun - Possibly an allusion to a vessel called a "gun," which was used for ale at universities; or because one is "almost shot." Also, "gun" is an old term for a flagon of ale. British, late 1600s to early 1800s.
In the gutter - The image is obvious. Also, since the phrase has the additional meaning of "hopeless," may imply that one is a hopeless drunkard.
In the horrors
In the ozone - From restaurant slang for a table whose customers are all stewed.
In the pen
In the pink
In the pots
In the pulpit
In the rats - British army use.
In the sack
In the satchel
In the shakes - Probably means experiencing the delirium tremens.
In the stone-wall horrors - Anglo-Irish.
In the suds - Slightly fuddled. Suggests the suds of beer. Noted by Benjamin Franklin; since circa 1765.
In the sun - Cf. "Been in the sun," "Standing too long in the sun." British army slang since the 1770s.
In the sunshine
In the tank
In the upper story - The "upper story" is the brain or head.
In the wind - Nautical, early 1800s to early 1900s.
In the wind's eye
In the wrapper - Very drunk.
In tipium grove - Elaboration of "tipsy." Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
In uncharted waters
In very good humor
Incapable - Because one is so drunk that one has lost physical control. From the old British legal offense of being "drunk and incapable."
Incog/In-cog - From "incognito," or from "cog(ue)," a dram of spirits. Cf. "Disguised." British, early 1800s to early 1900s.
Incognitibus
Incognito
Indentured
Indisposed ? Cf. "Ill," "Under the weather."
Inebriate
Inebriated
Inebrious - Early 1800s.
Infirm - Cf. "Ill," "Under the weather," etc.
Inflamed with wine - Wildly drunk.
Influenced
Injun drunk - US derogatory.
Inked - Probably from "Inky." Also, "ink" is cheap red wine. Australian, since the late 1800s.
Inky - Tipsy. British army slang esp. during World War I, possibly suggested by "Blotto."
Inkypoo - Australian.
Insobriety
Inspired - To "inspire" is to fuddle. British, 1800s.
Intemperate
Intemperate as Silenius - Suggests that one is habitually drunken. Silenius was an old satyr who hung around Dionysus/Bacchus, and because he was always too drunk to walk, other satyrs had to carry him everywhere.
Inter poculis - Latin for "between cups."
Into it
Into the sauce
Into the suds
Intox
Intoxed
Intoxicate
Intoxicated
Inundated
Invigorated - "Invigorator" is liquor.
Invincible - Cf. "Full of Dutch courage."
Invisible
Iron-plated
Irrigated - To "irrigate" is to drink, esp. when one is "irrigating one's throat." US, since the mid 1800s.
Irrigated the ulcers
Ishkimmish - Perhaps an imitation of a drunk's slurred speech. Also, "skimmish" is booze in vagrant slang. British, since the 1700s.
It's a dark day with one
It's beginning to kick
It's getting to one
It's got a hold of one and one can't let go
It's showing on one
It's six pots up one's sleeve - Since the mid 1800s.
It's starlight with one
It's working on one


Jack - Mentally sick or tired. Also, a "jack" is a leather drinking mug. Cf. "Black jacked."
Jacked
Jacked up
Jag
Jag on
Jagged - A "jag" is a drinking spree, or a drunkard. Since the 1700s.
Jagged up
Jaked
Jambled - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Jammed
Jarred - A "jar" is a pint of beer in Australian slang.
Jazzed
Jazzed-up
JD'd to the max
Jickey
Jiggered - From the jigger used to measure liquor.
Jim-jams
Jingled - A "jingle" is a drunken spree, or the state of mellowness from imbibing. British & US, World War I.
Jingling
Jocular
John Bull
Jolly ? Slightly intoxicated. Since the 1600s; euphemistic until the early 1800s, colloquial since.
Jolly drunk
Jolly fu'
Jollying up
Jolted - A "jolt" is the kick or "charge" from a drink of liquor, or the drink itself, esp. brandy or whisky straight up.
Joplined
Joy riding
Joyful
Jubilating
Jug-bitten - From the figurative sense of the liquid contents of a jug. British, early 1600s to mid 1700s.
Jug-steamed - US, mid 1800s.
Jugged - Used esp. by British shop and office ladies. Also US; in use since circa 1919.
Jugged-up
Juiced - Variant of "Juicy." "Juice" or "joy juice" is booze, and a "juicer" is a heavy drinker.
Juiced to the gills
Juiced-up
Juicy - Since the early 1700s. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Jumbled
Jumbo - Short for "Jumbo's trunk."
Jumbo's trunk - See "Elephant's trunk." Late 1800s.
Jungled - Drunk on "jungle juice," home-brewed drink made by soldiers, prisoners, etc. from whatever alcohol and flavorings happen to be available. "Jungle juice" originally meant African rum. US & Australian.
Junked
Junked up
Jus' a li'l boopadoop
Just about drunk
Just about half-drunk
Just comfortably mellow - Euphemistic.
Just feelin' round - Cowboy slang.
Just plain drunk
Just showing signs
Just south of bejasus


Ka-floot
Kailed up - "Alcoholized." Probably influenced by "Canned." Since circa 1927.
Kali'ed - "Kali" is a sweet of sherbet wrapped in a triangular bag and sipped through a licorice straw. "Kali-water" is champagne.
Kanurd - Variation of "Kennurd."
Kaput - From German for "destroyed."
Kaylied - Probably a variation of "Kali'ed."
Kayo'd/Kayoed - From K.O., a knock-out in boxing.
Keelhauled - Because one who is very drunk may look like a victim of keelhauling.
Keeping one's nose in the cup
Keeping one's sails up - Just a bit intoxicated, but all right.
Keg-legged - Play on "peg leg." Suggests staggering gait.
Kenird - Variation of "Kennurd."
Kennurd/Kenurd - Back slang for "drunk." Cf. "Flatch kennurd." British, since circa 1874.
Kentucky-fried
Kerflummixed/Kerflummoxed
Kerfuckered
Kerpunkle - See "Capoonkle."
Kerschnickered
Kettled
Keyed - US college use.
Keyed to the roof - Heavily inebriated.
Keyed up
Keyed up to the roof
Keyholed - The idea is that one is so drunk, one can't get the key into the keyhole for one's house.
Kib'd heels
Kicked in the guts - A "kick in the guts" is a drink of liquor.
Kicking up one's heels
Kicking up the devil
Killed
Killed off - Removed from (or lying under) the table due to intoxication. 1800s.
Killed one's dog - To "kill one's dog" means to drink heavily or be drunk. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Kind of high
Kind of woozy
Kisk
Kisky - Stupid with drink. Possibly from the fuddled speech of a drunk or from Romany "kushto," "good." Alternately, could have been influenced by "whisky" and "frisky." British, mid 1800s to mid 1900s.
Kissed (the) Black Betty - To "kiss the babe/Black Betty" means to take a drink. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Kissing the cap
Kited
Knapped/Knapt - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Knackered
Knee-crawling
Knee-crawling drunk
Knee-crawling, commode-hugging, gutter-wallowing drunk
Knee-crawling, going around with one's zipper open drunk
Knee-slapping drunk
Knee-walking drunk
Kneed
Knocked blooey
Knocked coo-coo
Knocked for/to a loop
Knocked off one's pins
Knocked one's link out - 1700s.
Knocked out
Knocked over
Knocked up
Knockered
Knockin' round like a blind dog in a meat shop ? Cowboy slang.
Knocking it back
Knows how the cards are dealt - Means that one is a heavy drinker.
Knows not the way home
Knows the way home
Knus-drunk
K.O.'d - See "Kayo'd."
Kraeusened
Krank/Kronk - Variation of "Cronk."
Kursasted
Ky-eyed


Laced - Because one's bloodstream is laced with alcohol. Also, "lace" is strong liquor, or beer (from "lace curtain" meaning Burton beer). Cf. "Polluted."
Laced one's coffee/tea - To "lace" a non-alcoholic drink is to spike it, esp. with rum or brandy.
Lager-frenzied
Laid
Laid back
Laid out - Like a corpse at a wake.
Laid out like a rug
Laid right out
Laid to the bone
Lame
Langered
Lap in the gutter
Lapped
Lapped the gutter
Lapping (in) the gutter - So drunk as to drink from the gutter like a dog. British, 1800s.
Lapping it up
Lappy - "Lap" or "lapper" is thieves' slang for drink. 1700s to 1800s.
Larruping drunk - To "larrup" is to flog. In the Old West, "larruping" meant "great" or "wonderful."
Lathered
Laughing at the carpet - Floored by intoxication.
Laughing jag - Given to laughter due to inebriation.
Laying one on
Laying out dead drunk
Laying out one's kit - Vomiting due to intoxication.
Leaked
Leaning
Leaping
Leaping drunk
Leaping up
Leary/Leery - US, late 1800s to early 1900s.
Leathered
Led astray
Legless - Drunk to the point of falling over. Scottish
Lekker - Tipsy. South African slang, from Afrikaans.
Letting 'er go
Letting 'er go Gallagher - The phrase means "let's begin," so it may mean starting to get intoxicated.
Letting 'er snort
Letting 'er tear
Letting go
Letting off steam
Letting the finger ride the thumb - "Finger and thumb" is rhyming slang for rum.
Letting the finger ride the thumb too often
Leveled/Levelled
Lifted - US college slang.
Lifting one's elbow
Lifting the little finger
Light - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Light-headed
Light on top
Light up - Bahamian slang. From "Lit up."
Lighting up
Lights out
Lightsome
Like a glee-man's bitch - A glee-man is a minstrel. Refers to the staggering gait of a souse. Appears in William Longman's "Piers Plowman."
Like a rat in trouble - A "rat in trouble" is a drunkard. Cf. "Drunk as a drowned rat."
Like an owl in an ivy bush - Having a vacant stare due to drunkenness. The ivy bush is a favored haunt for owls, as well as the favorite plant of Bacchus. Since the 1600s.
Like Chloe/Cloe - See "Drunk as Chloe."
Likker-soaked
Likkerous
Limber - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Limp - Very drunk.
Lined - Lined with a coating of alcohol.
Lion-drunk - Roaring drunk, drunk and rowdy or quarrelsome. Since the 1500s.
Liquified
Liquor plug
Liquor-struck
Liquored/Likkered
Liquored/Likkered up
Liquorish/Likkerish
Liquor's talking - Cf. "Has a talking load."
Listened to the owl hoot
Listing - Leaning.
Listing to starboard
Lit - From the euphoric state rather than the redness of the face.
Lit a bit
Lit to the gills
Lit to the guards
Lit to the gunnels
Lit up - British army use.
Lit up a little bit
Lit up like a cathedral
Lit up like a Chanukah bush
Lit up like a Christmas tree
Lit up like a church
Lit up like a church window
Lit up like a fifty-watter with 12 volts on the filament
Lit up like a kite
Lit up like a lighthouse
Lit up like a skyscraper
Lit up like a store window
Lit up like Broadway
Lit up like High Mass
Lit up like London
Lit up like Main Street
Lit up like the Catholic Church
Lit up like the Commonwealth
Lit up like the sky
Lit up like Times Square
Lit up to show one's human
Little bit on the go
Little bit round the corner
Little off the beam - See "Off the beam."
Little 'round the corner
Little tight - Tipsy.
Little woozy
Living up a bit
Loaded - A "load" is enough alcohol to get one drunk. Also "loaded" means laced with intoxicant. US & British, since the 1800s.
Loaded for bear(s) - "Ammunition" is alcoholic drink. US, since the 1800s.
Loaded one's cart
Loaded to the barrel
Loaded to the earlobes
Loaded to the gills
Loaded to the guards
Loaded to the gunwales/gunnels - US nautical, late 1800s.
Loaded to the hat
Loaded to the muzzle
Loaded to the Plimsoll mark - The Plimsoll mark (after Sam Plimsoll) is the legal submergence level of British merchant vessels. Thus, means loaded with all one can hold. British, since the 1800s.
Loaded to the tailgate
Loaded up
Loading up
Lock-legged
Locked
Locoed out
Locoed out on an 8-ball
Logged - Derived from "Waterlogged."
Long stale drunk - Depressed as the result of alcoholic debauchery. US, late 1800s.
Longlong - Pidgin.
Longwhisky - Pidgin.
Looked upon the wine when it was red - Tipsy. Elaborate euphemism that appears in an 1897 Summerville and Ross story. From Proverbs in the Bible.
Looking blue about the gills
Looking boozy
Looking lively - British, mid 1800s.
Looking through a glass
Loony
Loop-legged
Looped - From the phrase "thrown for a loop."
Looped-legged
Loopy
Loopy-legged
Loose
Loose in the haft - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Loose in the hilt(s) - Unsteady. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Loosening up
Loppy
Lordly - Cf. "Drunk as a lord."
Lost one's royal rudder
Loud and proud
Lousy drunk - Very inebriated.
Love-dovey - Drunk and amorous.
Low in the saddle - Slumped over. Cf. "High in the saddle."
Lubed - Short for "Lubricated."
Lubed up
Lubricated - Suggests that one has been maliciously plied with intoxicants.
Luffed the sails - If you "luff the headsail," you've pointed your sloop too far into the wind and it flaps loosely (in much the same manner as "three sheets to the wind"). "Headsail" is pronounced head-s'l. In addition, the sloop loses stability and rocks with the waves instead of staying nicely heeled over. Used for someone who has crossed his or her limit.
Lumped
Lumpy - Since the 1800s.
Lush - To "lush" is to drink heavily or frequently. Suggests that one is wealthy enough to afford the luxury of intoxication.
Lushed
Lushed to the gills
Lushed up
Lushed up to the nuts
Lushing it around
Lushington
Lushington is one's master - See "Alderman Lushington is concerned."
Lushy/Lushie/Lushey - British & US, since the 1800s.
Lushy and stropolus - Drunk and rowdy.
Lying in the gutter - Very drunk, blotto.

Mad with it
Made a bridge of one's nose - The person described has passed by someone in drinking - and may soon pass out. To "make a bridge of one's nose" is to push a bottle past someone so he/she misses out on a drink; thus, the phrase means to supercede someone.
Made an example
Made drunk come
Madza-beargered - Half drunk. "Madza" is pronounced "med-ser" and comes from Italian "mezzo." Anglo-Irish, esp. public house use.
Maggoty - Very drunk. From old term for "bad-tempered" or "whimsical." Anglo-Irish, mainly tavern use.
Main brace (is) well-spliced - See "Has spliced the main brace." Or from the strengthening influence of good liquor.
Making a trip to Baltimore
Making a night of it
Making fun
Making hell pop loose
Making hey-hey
Making indentures - Staggering. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Making indentures with one's legs - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Making Ms and Ts
Making Ms and Ws - From the staggering gait of a sot. British printer's slang, since circa 1860.
Making scallops - Cf. "Making wavy-rule."
Making snakes
Making things look crimson
Making Virginia fence - A Virginia fence is a zigzag fence. Hence, walking in a zigzag fashion. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Making wavy-rule - Staggering drunk. From a printer's term for a wavy line. Since circa 1880.
Malt above the meal - Refers to the use of malt in the making of alcoholic beverages. One who allows the malt to get ahead of the meal is losing control. Another meaning is that one is on the verge of alcoholism. Since the late 1500s.
Malted - From the malt in beer. Cf. "Hopped."
Malty
Mangled
Marinated - Cf. "Basted."
Market fresh - From English farmers who would return home sloshed.
Maroc - Shortening of "Marockgoolus."
Marockgoolus - Perversion of "Miraculous." Scottish, used esp. by Glaswegians.
Martin drunk - Very drunk. From St. Martin's Day, a time of orgiastic celebration. "St. Martin's evil" is drunkenness. Late 1500s.
Mashed
Massacred
Mastok - Australian.
Maudlin/Mawdlin - Drunk and crying. From Mary Magdalene, who is often depicted weeping. Since the 1600s.
Maudlin drunk
Mauled/Mauld - Extremely inebriated. British, since the 1600s.
Mawbrish - British, 1800s.
Mawdin drunk - Maudlin.
Maxed - Possibly from drug lingo for "stoned," or from "Maxed out." Also, "max" is gin.
Maxed out
M.B. - From Melbourne Bitter, a well-known brand of Australian beer. Since circa 1930.
Mean
Mealy mouthed
Mega-drunk
Mellow - Almost drunk, or pleasantly tipsy. Since the late 1600s.
Mellowing
Mellowish
Melted - Very drunk.
Mental
Merry - Cheerful but not obnoxious. "Merry-merry" is booze of dubious origin, and "merry-go-down" is strong ale. British & later US, since the early 1700s.
Merry as a Greek - Because the ancient Greeks had a reputation for high living. A "merry Greek" is a drunken roysterer.
Merry as a grig - A "grig" is a small cricked or a lively youngster. Also, this could be a corruption of "Merry as a Greek."
Mesmerized
Messed
Messed-up
Methodistconated - Jocular reference to the Methodist negative view of drinking.
Mexican-fried
Mickey Finnished - Chloral hydrate, known popular as "Mickey Finn," was once slipped into drinks to make drinkers pass out.
Middling/Middlin'
Miffy
Milled - British, 1800s.
Minging - Means "stinking," so this means "stinking drunk."
Miraculous - Very drunk. Cf. "In miraculous high spirits." Scottish Scottish, since the late 1800s.
Mitered
Mixed - Tipsy. Since circa 1871.
Mixed-up
Mizzled - Tipsy. Since circa 1923.
Moccasined - May mean bitten by a water moccasin.
Mocus/Mokus - Confused, incoherent. AA term, possibly from "mokus," hobo slang for liquor.
Moist around/'round the edges - Slightly tipsy. To "moisten" is to drink booze.
Moistened
Moldy/Mouldy - Very drunk. Anglo-Irish pub term.
Molly
Molo - British army slang.
Monstered
Moofing - Intoxicated beyond the point of mobility, but still conscious. US college campus use.
Moon-eyed - Since the early 1700s.
Moonlit
Moonshined
Moony/Mooney - Drunk and dreamy, or tipsy. Since the 1800s.
Moored in Sot's Bay
Mopped - A "mop" is a drinking spree.
Mopping it down
Moppy - British & US, early 1800s to early 1900s.
Mops and brooms - See "All mops and brooms."
More or less in liquor - Half-tipsy.
Moron
Mortal - Dead drunk. Short for "Mortal drunk." British, since circa 1808.
Mortal drunk
Mortallious - Elaboration of "Mortal drunk." British, 1800s.
Mortally drunk - Extremely inebriated. Since the 1700s.
Motherless
Motto - Romany for "intoxicated." Often used by tramps.
Mountous
Mouthy - Cf. "Has a talking load."
Mozart - Shortening of "Mozart and Liszt."
Mozart and Liszt - Tipsy. Rhyming slang. Cf. "Brahms and Liszt." Since circa 1945.
Muckibus - Probably a written nonce. British, mid 1700s to mid 1800s.
Muddled - Stupefied by spirits. Since circa 1780.
Muddled up - Since the late 1600s.
Muddy
Muffed
Mug
Mug blot
Mug blotto
Mug/Mugg blotts
Mugged - To "mug oneself" means to get drunk. Cf. "Cup-shot." US, mid 1800s.
Mugged up
Muggy - Tipsy. From the word's sense of "damp." British & US, since circa 1858.
Mulled
Mulled up
Mullet-eyed
Munted - Really out from drinking large quantities of booze. English university slang.
Murky
Mushy
Muy tostado - "Well toasted." From Spanish.
Muzzed - Stupidly drunk. To "muzz" is to intoxicate, and to "muzzle" is to drink to excess. Properly, this word refers to weather that is dull and overcast. Since circa 1787.
Muzzy - Tipsy, stupefied, or made dull by drink. British & later US, since circa 1775.

 

Nace/Nase/Naze - From either French "nez," nose, or German "nass," wet. Cant, early 1500s to 1700s.
Nailed to the floor
Nappy - Means "heady." From old Scottish dialect for the froth on ale. "Nap" or "nappy ale" is strong or "heady" ale. British & US, since the 1800s.
Nasty drunk
Native - Used in phrases such as "Gone native." Cf. "Gone Borneo."
Nazy/Nazie/Nazzie/Nazzy - Variant of "Nace." Since circa 1530.
Nearly off one's rocker
Needing a reef taken in - Nautical.
Negro drunk - US derogatory, early 1800s.
Newted - From "Pissed as a newt."
Nice
Nicely thanks - Tipsy. From the reply when one is asked how one is doing.
Nimptopsical - Noted by Bemjamin Franklin.
99 44/100% drunk - Derived from the Ivory soap slogan "99 44/100% pure."
Nipped
Niptopsical
Nitty-pissed - Term popular with a British army unit once stationed in Hong Kong.
Nodded
Nodding out - Possibly from drug slang for being in a drugged stupor.
Noddy-headed - British, circa 1850 to circa 1910.
Noggy - British, 1800s.
Nolo - Possibly based on Latin "nolo," "not I," as in "nolo contendere." British, WWI.
Non compos/Noncompos - Shortening of Latin "non compos mentis," "not of sound mind," or mentally defective.
Non compos mentis
Non compos poopoo
Noppy
Not able to handle/hold one's liquor
Not able to see through a ladder
Not all there
Not feeling any pain
Not heeling over - All right after a drink or two.
Not in any pain
Not suffering
Not suffering any
Nuked
Numb
Numb with drink
Nuts
Nutty - A "nut" is a dram of spirits.
N.Y.D. - Military hospital euphemism. Abbreviation for "Not Yet Diagnosed." Since the late 1800s.

Obfuscated - Stupefied, "obscured" with alcohol. British & US, mid 1800s.
Obfusticated - British & US, since the mid 1800s.
Obliterated
Obliviated
Obnubilated
Ocksecrotia - See "Oxycrotium." Cant, 1700s.
Oddish - Tipsy.
Oenomania
Oenophylgia - From Greek. The prefix "oeno-" means wine.
Off
Off at the nail - Scottish.
Off-color - Looking ill or unhealthy. Cf. "Ill," "Under the weather."
Off nice
Off nicely
Off one's bean
Off one's face - Australian slang.
Off one's feet
Off one's nut - Crazy drunk. British, circa 1860 to circa 1910.
Off one's saucer
Off the beam - The "beam" is the radio beacon used to guide airplanes to a runway. Aviation term.
Off the deep end
Off the nail - Tipsy. Since the early 1800s.
Off the wagon - See "Fell off the wagon."
Off to Mexico - Cf. "Gone to Mexico."
Off to the races
Off ya face
Off ya head
Oiled ? "Neck oil" is liquor, esp. beer; "oil of barley" is beer. To "oil" means to fuddle. Since the early 1700s. Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Oiled as a diesel train - Appears in Elton John's "Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting."
Oiled as an Exxon tanker captain - Elaboration of "Oiled." In dis-honor of the captain of the Exxon Valdez, who was allegedly "oiled" when his tanker ran aground in Alaska, causing one of the worst oil spills in history.
Oiled the/one's wig - To "oil the wig" is to make or become tipsy. "Oil of malt" is an archaic term for whisky.
Oiled up
Oinophluxed
On - Tipsy. British esp. public house use, since circa 1802.
On a bat - "Bat" is short for "batter," a drunken binge.
On a bend
On a (big) bender
On a binge - The word "binge" means to soak, and originally referred to consuming beer to excess.
On a blind
On a blink
On a blow
On a blow out
On a bout
On a Brannigan - Very drunk.
On a bum
On a bun
On a bus
On a bust
On a cloud - Possibly originated in drug lingo.
On a continual drinking merry-go-round
On a drunk
On a fool's errand
On a fuddle
On a hummer
On a jag - Cf. "Jagged." Since the late 1600s.
On a joyride - A "joyride" is either a drunken carouse or the euphoria from drinking spirits.
On a merry-go-round
On a merry pin
On a racket
On a rampage
On a randan/rantan/ran-tan
On a razzer
On a razzle-dazzle
On a rip
On a rummer
On a shindy
On a shitter
On a skate - Cf. "Has a skate on."
On a soak
On a souse
On a splash
On a spree
On a spreester
On a tank - Australian, since the 1920s.
On a tear
On a tipple - Very drunk.
On a titley
On a toot
On a twister
On a weeping jag - Cf. "Crying drunk," "Maudlin."
On a wing-ding
On chemical parity with reality - California slang.
On fourth
On instruments - US Air Force slang.
On it - Australian, first noted in 1938.
On markers steady - Fairly sober after a drinking bout
On one's ass
On one's ear - Tipsy. Euphemism for "On one's ass." Also, to "get on one's ear" is to get sloshed. Australian, since circa 1910.
On one's fourth - Very inebriated. British, 1800s.
On one's last legs
On one's oats
On one's way down
On one's way out
On one's way to a good drunk
On sentry - Refers to the apparently paralyzed stance of a sentry. British, 1800s.
On spree
On the bash
On the bat
On the batter
On the beer
On the bend
On the blink
On the booze
On the bottle
On the cocktail route - Drinking heavily. The etymology of "cocktail" is uncertain. One hypothesis is that it comes from Aztec "xoctl," after an Aztec maiden who introduced the king to her father's brew. Another theory is that it is derived from French "coquetel," a mixed drink. Still another idea is that its root is Krio "koktel," or scorpion - perhaps because alcohol packs such a "sting." Society use since circa 1934.
On the Cousin Sis - "Cousin Sis" is rhyming slang, a cover-up of "piss." Since circa 1925.
On the cut
On the drink
On the drunk - Debauching esp. for days on end.
On the edge
On the floor
On the fritz
On the fuddle
On the go
On the grog - Can mean either intoxicated or habitually drunk. Australian.
On the hoist - Late 1800s to early 1900s.
On the hops
On the Indian list - In Canada it is illegal to sell alcohol to Indians from any reserves or settlements. Said person is a hopeless drunkard, esp. one to whom it is forbidden to sell liquor. Cf. "Eighty-six."
On the jug
On the juice
On the kip
On the lee lurch
On the loose
On the merry-go-round
On the muddle
On the oil
On the ooze - Possibly from "On the booze." Since the 1920s.
On the piss
On the pop
On the racket
On the ramble
On the ramp - "Ramp" here may be short for "rampage."
On the rampage
On the randan/ran-dan/rantain/ran-tan ? British, mid 1600s to 1800s; still heard in New Zealand.
On the rap - On a bout and tipsy.
On the razzle dazzle
On the re-raw/reeraw - British, mid 1800s.
On the rocks
On the roof
On the sauce
On the scoop
On the scoot
On the scuttle
On the sentry
On the shicker/shikker - Yiddish, from Hebrew "shikor," drunk.
On the shout
On the skyte/skite - On a terrific binge. From a Scottish schoolman's term.
On the spree
On the squiff - Australian, since circa 1925.
On the stun
On the sway
On the tank - Drinking beer. British army slang since circa 1890.
On the tiles
On the town - Because someone celebrating by going to bars often gets at least tipsy.
On the turps
On the water cart
Ona
One and thirty - From the scoring of full points in the old English game of one-and-thirty. 1700s to 1800s.
One brick short of a load
One is a happy camper - In restaurant talk, a "happy camper" is an intoxicated customer.
One is quite the gay drunkard - Here "gay" has its original meaning of "happy."
One of the faithful - See "Religious."
One over (the) eight - "Eight" means eight pints or glasses, a supposed "safe" amount of beer to consume. British army use, appeared in print by 1925.
One over the light
One over the odds - Variant of "One over the eight."
One sheet in the wind - Tipsy. See "Three sheets in the wind."
One too many
One too many under the belt
One's a regular Indian - See "On the Indian list."
One's a visiting fireman - Drunk and boisterous, esp. when one is far from home. Because firefighters once had a reputation for getting intoxicated and rowdy. Many groups of people have well-earned reputations for getting drunk and out of control at conventions - for example, recall the Tailhook scandal of the early 1990s.
One's back teeth are afloat/floating - See "Back teeth afloat."
One's crop is freighted with scamper-juice - Cowboy slang.
One's elevator is stalled
One's eyes are set
One's flag is out - See "Has one's flag out." British, 1800s.
One's hair hurts
One's head is full of bees
One's head is smoking
One's in the cellar
One's lee scuppers are under - A scupper is an opening in the side of a ship at deck level to allow excess water to drain off. "Lee scuppers" are the holes in the side of the ship sheltered from the wind. Cf. "Half seas over," "Decks awash."
One's nose is dirty
One's nose is getting red
One's nose is red
One's system is down - From computer jargon.
One's tater's torn - "My tater's torn" means "I'm very drunk" in college slang.
One's teeth are floating - See "Back teeth afloat."
Oot ure box
Oozy
Opens one's collar to piss
Organized - Possibly a corruption of "Hoary-eyed." Alternately, to "organize" means to intoxicate.
Orie-/Orry-eyed - Variation of either "Hoary-eyed" or "Gory-eyed."
Oryide - Cockney variant of "Hoary-eyed."
Oscillated
Ossified - Turned to bone by liquor, "stoned."
O.U.I.L. - Operating Under the Influence of Liquor.
Out - Knocked unconscious by drinking. Or, just tipsy. British & US, since the 1700s.
Out cold
Out colder than an ice box
Out colder than an ice cube
Out for the count
Out getting a head of bottles
Out in left field with a catcher's mitt on
Out like a broken bulb
Out like a dead battery
Out like a lamp
Out like a light
Out like an empty bottle
Out like Lottie's eye
Out nibbling the grape - Drunk on wine.
Out of altitudes
Out of commission
Out of control
Out of funds
Out of it - Inattentive due to drunkenness.
Out of key
Out of kilter
Out of one's altitudes - Corruption of "In one's altitudes."
Out of one's bean
Out of one's element
Out of one's gourd
Out of one's head
Out of one's mind
Out of one's mind drunk
Out of one's nut
Out of one's onion
Out of one's skull
Out of one's tree - Australian.
Out of phase
Out of register - Walking crookedly. From the printing term for a page with type that is not squared on the sheet. Since the 1860s.
Out of sight
Out of the picture
Out of the way
Out on the fuddle
Out on the roof
Out owl hooting
Out the game - Scottish slang
Out to it - Dead drunk. Australian, since the 1800s.
Out to lunch - Implies a secretary explaining that her boss is not in his office. Cf. "Detained on business."
Out your tree
Outasight
Over a barrel
Over one's cups
Over the bar - Nautical, 1800s.
Over the bat
Over the bay - Related to "Loaded to the Plimsoll mark." British & US, since the early 1800s.
Over the edge
Over the eight - See "One over the eight."
Over the limit
Over the line
Over the mark - Derived from "Loaded to the Plimsoll mark." British, 1800s.
Over the top
Over-excited
Over-indulged
Over-indulging
Over-refreshed
Over-tired
Overboard
Overcame/Overcome
Overcome by drink
Overdone
Overdone the Dionysian rites
Overheated one's flues - Cockney slang.
Overloaded
Overseas - Half drunk. A pun on "Half seas over." British, since circa 1930.
Overseen - Somewhat inebriated. Late 1400s to 1600s.
Overserved
Overset
Overshot
Oversparred - Top-heavy. British, late 1800s.
Overstuffed
Overtake/O'ertaken - 1500s to 1600s.
Overwined/Over-wined
Owes no man a farthing - Noted by Benjamin Franklin.
Owled - Perhaps refers to a drunk's staring eyes. Cf. "Like an owl in an ivy bush."
Owl-/Owly-eyed
Oxycrocium - Pronounced ox-ee-CROCK-ee-um. Possibly from "oxycroceum," a plaster containing vinegar and saffron. If so, it may be an elaboration of "Plastered." Noted by Benjamin Franklin.



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