Quaffed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Consumed a drink rapidly and with enthusiasm
2. Drank a beverage in a swift and eager manner
3. Gulped down liquid eagerly and without hesitation

Etymology: Quaffed is simply the past tense and past participle of "quaff," and the verb itself has a murky past. Its origin is uncertain, though one proposed link points across the Irish Sea: Old Irish "cuach," meaning cup, goblet or large bowl. That same root survives in Scots as "quaich" and "queff," both words for a drinking cup. If the connection holds, the verb would have grown out of the act of drinking from such a vessel, and the noun appears to have been derived from the verb rather than the other way round. Because the origin is unresolved, the verb's history is best seen through its sense. Quaff carries a sense of drinking deeply and heartily, often in large draughts, which is why it suits a thirsty person draining a tankard. The past form quaffed simply inherits that vigorous meaning, so the word describes swallowing a drink quickly and with obvious relish.

Synonyms: drank, guzzled, swigged, sipped, gulped

Antonyms: sipped, tasted, nibbled, conserved, saved