drinker

Etymology

From Middle English drinkere, drynkere, from Old English drincere (“drinker”), from Proto-Germanic *drinkārijaz (“drinker”), equivalent to drink +‎ -er. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Drinker (“drinker”), West Frisian drinker (“drinker”), Dutch drinker (“drinker”), German Low German Drinker (“drinker”), German Trinker (“drinker”), Danish drikker (“drinker”), Swedish drickare, drinkare (“drinker”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪŋkə(r)

Noun

drinker (plural drinkers)

1. Agent noun of drink; someone or something that drinks.
2. Someone who drinks alcoholic beverages on a regular basis.
3. A device from which animals can drink.

   a bell drinker

   a nipple drinker

4. (slang) A pub.
   • 2011, Tony Black, Gutted, page 88:

     Antisocial behaviour? What the hell was that? In my day antisocial meant staying in to watch the footy on Scotsport instead of going down the drinker.