inebriate
C2 / Formal / LiteraryFormal, literary, medical/legal jargon; rarely used in casual conversation.
Definition
Meaning
To make someone drunk; or a person who is habitually drunk.
To exhilarate or excite someone intensely, often to the point of irrationality; can describe a state of being mentally intoxicated by an idea or emotion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a transitive verb or a formal/technical noun. As a verb, it often implies an agent causing the state. The adjective 'inebriated' is more common than 'inebriate' for describing the state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major semantic difference. Slightly more likely to be found in British legal or medical historical texts. In American English, 'intoxicated' is overwhelmingly preferred in legal contexts.
Connotations
Both regions: formal, sometimes archaic or euphemistic. Can carry a tone of disapproval or clinical detachment.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both, but slightly higher relative frequency in British English due to archaic persistence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Sb] inebriates [Sb] (with sth)[Sb] is inebriated (by/with sth)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly; related to 'drunk as a lord', 'under the influence'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Possibly in historical, sociological, or medical studies discussing alcoholism.
Everyday
Extremely rare; 'drunk' or 'intoxicated' used instead.
Technical
Found in older legal statutes or medical textbooks describing chronic alcoholism.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The potent cider was enough to inebriate the entire rugby team.
- He felt inebriated by the unexpected victory and the champagne.
American English
- The pharmacist warned that the medication could inebriate a patient if taken with alcohol.
- She was inebriated with joy at the news.
adverb
British English
- Not standardly used.
American English
- Not standardly used.
adjective
British English
- The inebriate gentleman was asked to leave the premises. (archaic/formal)
- Police dealt with an inebriate individual causing a disturbance.
American English
- The court ordered the chronically inebriate man to seek treatment. (legal)
- Inebriate patrons are not served more alcohol.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Not applicable for this C2 word)
- (Not applicable for this C2 word)
- The strong wine quickly inebriated him.
- The inebriated man couldn't walk straight.
- His success seemed to inebriate him, leading to a series of rash decisions.
- The historical study focused on societal responses to the chronic inebriate.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'IN his EBR, I ATE' -> Imagine someone saying 'In his mini-bar (EBR), I ate too much and became inebriated.'
Conceptual Metaphor
INTOXICATION IS A FLOOD / A CLOUD: He was inebriated by success (success flooded his senses, clouded his judgement).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'инбридинг' (inbreeding). Ложный друг. Прямой аналог — 'опьянять', 'пьяница', но эти слова гораздо чаще используются.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'inebriate' as a common adjective ('He was inebriate') instead of 'inebriated'. Confusing it with 'inebriated' as the only adjective form. Using it in casual speech.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'inebriate' MOST likely to be found?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Inebriated' is far more common as the adjective describing the state of being drunk. 'Inebriate' as a verb or noun is formal/technical.
Yes, it's often used metaphorically (e.g., 'inebriated with power', 'inebriated by love'), meaning intensely excited or exhilarated to an irrational degree.
They are synonyms, but 'inebriate' is more formal, literary, and often implies a habitual state when used as a noun. 'Intoxicate' is broader, covering drugs and poisons, and is standard in legal language.
Highly unlikely in modern practice. They would use 'intoxicated', 'acute alcohol intoxication', or 'under the influence'. 'Inebriate' might appear in older medical journals.
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