drinking

drinking — noun

1. the consumption of alcoholic drinks, especially as a regular habit or social act

1.nounB1
Definition

the consumption of alcoholic drinks, especially as a regular habit or social activity that may affect health or behaviour

Example

Nikhil decided to stop drinking after he noticed it affected his sleep and concentration.

stop drinking — collocation for quitting alcohol

Heavy drinking has been linked to liver disease and high blood pressure.

heavy drinking — common collocation for large consumption

Common collocations
  • heavy drinking
  • binge drinking
  • problem drinking
  • drinking age
  • drinking problem
  • drinking session
  • drinking habit
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • sobriety

    the state of not being under the influence of alcohol

  • abstinence

    the choice not to drink alcohol at all

Grammar Patterns

drinking + noun (compound modifier)

heavy / binge / problem drinking

Usage Note

Frequently appears in compound nouns such as drinking problem, drinking game, drinking session. The noun describes a pattern or habit — do not use it to refer to a single serving of alcohol (use drink instead).

Common Mistakes

She has a drinking.
She has a drink.
Drinking as a noun refers to an ongoing habit or activity, not one serving of alcohol.

2. the physical action of swallowing water or another liquid through the mouth, esp

2.nounA2
Definition

the physical action of swallowing water or another liquid through the mouth, especially to satisfy thirst or maintain health

Example

Élise's doctor told her that drinking at least eight glasses of water daily is essential for kidney health.

drinking + quantity + of + noun — pattern for recommended intake

Safe drinking water is hard to find in the villages after the flood.

drinking water — common compound noun for potable water

Common collocations
  • drinking water
  • drinking fountain
  • drinking straw
  • drinking schedule
  • drinking cup
Synonyms
  • swallowing

    focuses on the throat-and-gullet action rather than the overall activity

  • hydrating

    emphasises the health purpose of taking in fluids

Grammar Patterns

drinking + noun (compound noun)

drinking of + noun

Usage Note

This sense is less common than the verb drink in everyday conversation. The noun is typically found in formal or instructional contexts, or in the compound drinking water (water suitable for drinking). The possessive structure (e.g. the patient's drinking of fluids) is typical of medical writing.

Common Mistakes

Drinking of water is healthy.
Drinking water is healthy.
The compound noun drinking water is preferred over the drinking of + noun structure in most everyday contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Drinking (sense 1) is the most general noun for the activity of consuming alcohol, neutral in register and common in both everyday speech and public-health messaging. Alcohol consumption is more formal and clinical; you will see it in medical reports, statistics, and government guidelines. Alcohol use sits between the two — it is less clinical than 'consumption' but still carries a neutral-to-formal tone, often appearing in advice about moderation. Boozing is distinctly informal and suggests heavy or frequent drinking; a public-health poster would say 'reduce your drinking' or 'cut down on alcohol consumption', never 'cut down on boozing'. For example, a doctor might say 'I am concerned about your drinking' (neutral, personal) but write in a chart 'the patient's alcohol consumption is above recommended limits' (formal, clinical).

drinking ↗alcohol consumptionalcohol useboozing

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • drinking problem
  • drinking age
  • drinking water
  • drinking game

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Drinking comes from the Old English verb drincan, meaning 'to swallow liquid', which traces back through Proto-Germanic to an Indo-European root meaning 'to draw' or 'to pull' — the idea of drawing liquid into the mouth. The noun form arose in Middle English as the gerund of the verb, and by the 1600s it was already being used specifically for alcohol consumption (as in 'drinking house', an early term for a pub).