Find the word definition

Crossword clues for quaff

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
quaff
verb
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ A score of Brother witnesses sat on elevated thrones quaffing from other such steins, brought by Servitors.
▪ The chauffeurs don hats and quaff their drinks in one.
▪ The people we asked didn't much fancy the idea of eating lasagne and quaffing Lambrusco in an old lavatory.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Quaff

Quaff \Quaff\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quaffed; p. pr. & vb. n. Quaffing.] [For quach, fr. Gael. & Ir. cuach a drinking cup; cf. L. caucus a drinking vessel. Cf. Quaigh.] To drink with relish; to drink copiously of; to swallow in large draughts. ``Quaffed off the muscadel.''
--Shak.

They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet Quaff immortality and joy.
--Milton.

Quaff

Quaff \Quaff\, v. i. To drink largely or luxuriously.

Twelve days the gods their solemn revels keep, And quaff with blameless Ethiops in the deep.
--Dryden.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
quaff

1510s (implied in quaffer), perhaps imitative, or perhaps from Low German quassen "to overindulge (in food and drink)," with -ss- misread as -ff-. Related: Quaffed; quaffing. The noun is attested by 1570s, from the verb.

Wiktionary
quaff

n. 1 The act of quaffing, a deep draught. 2 (misspelling of coif English) vb. To drink or imbibe with vigour or relish; to drink copiously; to swallow in large draughts.

WordNet
quaff
  1. n. a hearty draft

  2. v. to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught; "The men gulped down their beers" [syn: gulp, swig]

Usage examples of "quaff".

Florence obtruded itself upon her, and more than that, her charitable occupations when she attended the sick in that city, and whence, as from a rough-hewn chalice containing nectarian drink, she had quaffed happiness.

Usually at this hour Blobel is in his van or at quarters in town if the section is not too far out in the sticks, quaffing schnapps to chase off the morning chill.

Olive said decisively, unstoppering her own vial and quaffing the gray mixture in three gulps.

She sniffed it, drank a little more, then surprised him by bolting the balance like someone quaffing a shot of whiskey.

Santini and three of his men appeared, laughing, swabbing at their lips, evidence that they had quaffed of the silphium brew.

The Sons of Annam quaffed the poison down, each anxious to leave Bleak Palace as quickly as possible.

He made a quaffing gesture with his hand to signify the doctor in Bilbao was a drunkard.

Mariko quaffed hers, glad that she was no longer alone, uneasily sure that Kiku could read her thoughts.

I quaff, as one might say, a single draught of the Pierian spring before I go on.

Horace Eglantine deep at Pierian spring Inspiration poetic shall quaff, In numbers majestic with Shakespeare to sing, Or in Lyrics with Pindar to laugh.

November 8, 1923, after Kahr had been speaking for half an hour to some three thousand thirsty burghers, seated at roughhewn tables and quaffing their beer out of stone mugs in the Bavarian fashion, S.

As the men tired and went back to quaff watered wine at the firesides, their places and equipment were readily taken by onlookers.

There mournfull Cypresse grew in greatest store,And trees of bitter Gall, and Heben sad,Dead sleeping Poppy, and blacke Hellebore,Cold Coloquintida, and Tetra mad,Mortall Samnitis, and Cicuta bad,With which th'vniust Atheniens made to dyWise Socrates, who thereof quaffing gladPourd out his life, and last PhilosophyTo the faire Critias his dearest Belamy.

I took a breath, and quaffed down the beef broth, not breathing until it was gone.

Usually at this hour Blobel is in his van or at quarters in town if the section is not too far out in the sticks, quaffing schnapps to chase off the morning chill.