drunk

comparative drunker · superlative drunkest

1. Intoxicated as a result of excessive alcohol consumption, usually by drinking alcoholic beverages.

   "What part of 'you got drunk' did our parents misunderstand?" "I only drank a few shots!"

   2013 May 9, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive (webcomic), Comic for Thursday, May 9, 2013

   1 more example

   So I took a great dry gourd and, cutting open the head, scooped out the inside and cleaned it; after which I gathered grapes from a vine which grew hard by and squeezed them into the gourd, till it was full of the juice. Then I stopped up the mouth and set in the sun, where I left it for some days, until it became strong wine; and every day I used to drink of it, to comfort and sustain me under my fatigues with that from froward and obstinate fiend; and as often as I drank myself drunk, I forgot my troubles and took new heart.

   1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Night 557”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: tipsy, buzzed

2. derogatoryHabitually or frequently in a state of intoxication.

   Synonyms: boozy, sottish

3. usuallyElated or emboldened.

   Drunk with power, he immediately ordered a management reshuffle.

   1 more example

   drunk with recent prosperity

   1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XV, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC

4. Drenched or saturated with moisture or liquid.

   I will make mine arrows drunk with blood.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 32:42

   Synonyms: wet

comparative more drunk · superlative most drunk

1. While drunk.

   He was arrested for driving drunk.

plural drunks

1. One who is intoxicated with alcohol.

   She famously could not drive, but she introduced the breathalyser test to prosecute drunks who tried to.

   2025 November 26, Howard Johnston, “Top 10: Influential ministers: Barbara Castle 1965-68”, in RAIL, number 1049, page 61

2. A habitual drinker, especially one who is frequently intoxicated.

   Another drunk is sleeping in dangerous proximity to a brush fire.

   1971, William S. Burroughs, The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead, page 10

   Synonyms: alcoholic, drunkard, pisshead, piss artist, sot, alco, alcoholic, alkie

3. A person whose behaviour when drunk tends to be of a specified kind.

   He's a talkative drunk; three beers in and he's chattering away about everything.

4. A drinking bout; a period of drunkenness.

   Gen. G. had been on a long drunk from July last until Christmas.

   1858 June 8, “A Scarcity of Jurors—Cangemi's Third Trial”, in New York Times, page 4

   4 more examples

   I wisht somebody would take me off on a drunk. I want to get stinkin', paralyzin', forgettin'-drunk[…].

   1924 July 28 [1923 August 28], Samuel Badisch Ornitz, “Sixth Period”, in Haunch Paunch and Jowl, eighth printing, New York, N.Y.: Boni and Liveright, section I, page 265

   While Charley was having his drunk, the four young men went down to town to enlist in the Army.

   1950, Dorothy M. Johnson, Scars of Honor; in Indian Country, London: Corgi, 1961, page 148

   Life probably would have continued in blissful ignorance if it had not been for Vito's occasional late-night drunks. Usually he got plastered and misplaced his keys […] and bellowed obscenities into our shared hallway.

   1983 December 10, Veneita Porter, “A Little Help From Mom”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 21, page 14

   Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go on an overnight drunk, and in 10 days I'm going to set out to find the shark that ate my friend and destroy it. Anyone who wants to tag along is more than welcome.

   2004, Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, spoken by Steve Zissou (Bill Murray)

5. A drunken state.

   Here – help yourself to another drop there, Redmond! By the time we've got a good drunk on us there'll be more crack in this valley than the night I pissed on the electric fence!

   2006, Patrick McCabe, Winterwood, Bloomsbury, published 2007, page 10

1. participlepastpast participle of drink
2. Southern USpastsimple past of drink