drink
A1Neutral (used in all contexts)
Definition
Meaning
To take liquid into the mouth and swallow it.
The act of drinking; a portion of liquid for drinking; alcoholic beverages in general; to absorb or take in something eagerly.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun can refer to the action ('have a drink'), a specific portion ('a drink of water'), or alcoholic beverages as a category ('the drink is flowing'). The verb can be used literally or metaphorically ('drink in the scenery').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Soft drink' is more common in AmE; 'fizzy drink' or 'pop' may be used in BrE. 'Drink' as a noun for alcoholic beverages is universal.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. 'Drink-driving' (BrE) vs. 'drunk driving' (AmE).
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + drink + Direct Object (He drank water)Subject + drink + Prepositional Phrase (He drank from the cup)Subject + drink + Adverbial (He drank quickly)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “drink like a fish”
- “drink someone under the table”
- “drink to that”
- “drive someone to drink”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Networking over drinks; corporate drinks reception.
Academic
Rare in formal texts; may appear in social studies on consumption habits.
Everyday
Extremely common for all beverages.
Technical
In chemistry/biology: 'a drinking solution'; in engineering: 'heat sink drinks thermal energy' (metaphorical).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Let's drink some tea before we head out.
- He doesn't drink at all during the week.
American English
- I need to drink more water throughout the day.
- They drink coffee black in Seattle.
adverb
British English
- He looked at her drinkingly, awaiting a response. (Rare/poetic)
American English
- (Rarely used as a pure adverb; typically phrasal, e.g., 'drink deeply')
adjective
British English
- The drinking water in the region is safe.
- We have a drinking problem to address.
American English
- The drinkable water supply is limited.
- He's of drinking age now.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I drink milk every day.
- Can I have a drink of water, please?
- We should drink plenty of fluids when we're ill.
- He offered to buy everyone a drink.
- After the marathon, the runners drank thirstily from their bottles.
- The cultural norm of after-work drinks is quite strong here.
- She drank in the breathtaking view from the mountain summit.
- The plant's roots drink up moisture from the soil efficiently.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sound 'DRIP' + 'INK' – you DRINK liquid, and ink is a liquid.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONSUMING IDEAS IS DRINKING ('drink in the knowledge'), EXPERIENCING PLEASURE IS DRINKING ('drink in the moment').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'drink' for eating soup (use 'eat soup' or 'have soup').
- The noun 'drink' is countable for single servings ('three drinks'), but uncountable for category ('I don't like drink').
Common Mistakes
- *I drink always coffee in the morning. (Correct: I always drink coffee in the morning.)
- *Let's go for a drink a coffee. (Correct: Let's go for a coffee/for a drink.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'drink' metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Irregular: drink – drank – drunk (AmE also uses 'drank' informally as past participle).
Yes: countable for single servings ('two drinks'), uncountable for the substance/liquid category ('There's drink all over the table').
'Drink' focuses on the action; 'have a drink' is a more common, neutral phrase for consuming a beverage, often socially.
Yes, but 'beverage' is more formal and typical in commercial/technical contexts (e.g., 'beverage industry'). 'Drink' is used in everyday speech.
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