Sotting

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of becoming drunk or indulging excessively in alcohol
2. A state characterized by foolishness or irrational behavior brought on by intoxication
3. Engaging in habits that lead to drunkenness and its associated follies

Etymology: Before it meant getting roaring drunk, "sot" meant a fool. The adjective came from Old French "sot", "foolish, stupid", which in turn is related to Middle Dutch and Middle Low German words with the same sense, so the drunkard's name began as an insult to someone's wits rather than their habits. The verb "sot" then grew out of the adjective, and "sotting" describes the act of drinking oneself into that foolish state. The verb's origins are less certain. One proposed source is an interjection similar to French "zut!" ("damn it!"), and another links it to "sod", a vulgar exclamation. Neither connection is firmly established, so the clearest path runs through the adjective. The "-ting" ending is ordinary: it is the present participle and gerund of "sot", a form that follows the pattern of "get" and "got", which some speakers have borrowed to form "git" and "set" variants in the same way.