swig

present singular third person swigs · participle present swigging · participle past swigged · past swigged

1. To drink (usually by gulping or in a greedy or unrefined manner); to quaff.

   That sailor can swig whisky with the best of 'em.

   Synonyms: chug, gulp, guzzle, quaff

2. obsoleteTo suck.

   As sucking Colts leap when they swig the Teat

   1684, Thomas Creech, Idylliums of Theocritus

3. nauticalTo take up the last bit of slack in rigging by taking a single turn around a cleat, then hauling on the line above and below the cleat while keeping tension on the line.

   Synonyms: sweating

plural swigs

1. obsoleteDrink, liquor.First known use 1540s–?
2. broadlyA long draught from a drink.First known use 1620s

   take a swig of whisky

   4 more examples

   Jerry put his brandy bottle at the side of his pillow,—kindly informing him that he would have an opportunity of taking a few more swigs before he went down, for the water was only up to her bends at present.

   1830, [Frederick Marryat], chapter XII, in The King’s Own. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 183

   He looked up, however, at my coming, knocked the neck off the bottle like a man who had done the same thing often, and took a good swig, with his favourite toast of "Here's luck!"

   1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Israel Hands”, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC, part V (My Sea Adventure), pages 219–220

   And he took the last swig out of the pint.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: The Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC

   Next, he opens up the cupboard over the sink and slams that shut too, only to open another cabinet door that houses what he's looking for, a glass. He pours it full of OJ and takes a huge swig, swallows, and repeats.

   2014, Michael Griffo, Starfall (The Darkborn Legacy), New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corporation, →ISBN, page 26

   Synonyms: draught, sip, swill

3. obsoleteA person who drinks deeply.
4. nauticalA tackle with ropes which are not parallel.
5. Warm beer flavoured with spices, lemon, etc.