liquor up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-RareInformal, Colloquial. Often used in narrative, casual conversation, and journalistic contexts. Can carry a humorous, disapproving, or descriptive tone.
Quick answer
What does “liquor up” mean?
To consume alcoholic beverages, usually in a significant quantity.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To consume alcoholic beverages, usually in a significant quantity; to get drunk.
To deliberately get someone intoxicated by providing them with alcohol. It can also imply the preparatory act of drinking before an event.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally understood in both dialects, though perhaps slightly more at home in American informal use. British equivalents like 'to get plastered' or 'to get pissed' are more frequent.
Connotations
Both share the connotation of purposeful, often heavy, drinking. May carry a slight old-fashioned or folksy tinge.
Frequency
More frequent in American English, but not uncommon in UK informal contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “liquor up” in a Sentence
[Subject] + liquor up + (on [beverage])[Subject] + liquor + [Object] up[Subject] + get + liquored upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “liquor up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to liquor up before hitting the nightclub in Soho.
- The stag party spent the evening liquoring up on whisky.
American English
- He's planning to liquor up before the big game to calm his nerves.
- The host tried to liquor up the shy guests to get the party started.
adjective
British English
- By midnight, he was too liquored up to stand properly.
- A couple of liquored-up lads were arguing outside the kebab shop.
American English
- The debate was derailed by a liquored-up attendant shouting from the back.
- It's not wise to make important decisions when you're liquored up.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Highly inappropriate and unprofessional.
Academic
Not used except in literary or cultural analysis.
Everyday
Used in casual speech among friends, often humorously or descriptively.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “liquor up”
- Using 'liquor' as a verb without 'up' (e.g., 'He liquored before the game' – incorrect).
- Confusing spelling: 'liquer' (French-style liqueur) vs. 'liquor' (spirits).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is informal and colloquial. It is not suitable for formal writing or professional contexts.
Yes. For example: 'He liquored up his friend before introducing him to the crowd.' This means he made his friend drink alcohol.
'Drink' is neutral. 'Liquor up' specifically implies drinking alcoholic beverages, often with the intent to become intoxicated or to prepare for something, and carries a more vivid, informal connotation.
Yes, when used attributively (before a noun), it is typically hyphenated: 'a liquored-up patron'. When predicative (after a verb like 'is'), it is often written without hyphens: 'He was liquored up.'
To consume alcoholic beverages, usually in a significant quantity.
Liquor up: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪk.ər ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɪk.ɚ ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Liquor up before the storm (prepare oneself for difficulty).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a car's carburettor: it 'liquors up' the engine with fuel. Similarly, a person 'liquors up' their body with alcohol.
Conceptual Metaphor
ALCOHOL IS FUEL / INTOXICATION IS A PROCESS OF FUELLING.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes the typical use of 'liquor up'?