Tipples

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To indulge in drinking alcoholic beverages; to consume small amounts of alcohol regularly; to engage in a casual or light-hearted manner of drinking that may not lead to intoxication
2. To partake in drinking liquor, often in a leisurely fashion; to sip or enjoy various alcoholic drinks in moderation; to involve oneself in the enjoyment of beverages with low-key social interactions
3. To appreciate and savor alcoholic drinks, generally in small quantities; to hydrate oneself with mild alcoholic options regularly; to participate in light drinking as a social activity without heavy consumption

Etymology: "Tipples" is the third-person singular form of the verb "tipple," so its history is really the history of that verb. The origin is uncertain. It may come from a Scandinavian source, comparable to Norwegian "tipla," meaning to tap or patter lightly, or it may be built from "tip" with the frequentative ending "-le," which turns a single action into a repeated, gentle one. Either way, the core idea is of small, repeated touches, and the sense of drinking in small, steady amounts follows naturally from that. The sense of drinking came later and more sociably than the sense of a tiny motion. A person who tipples keeps sipping at a glass across a long evening rather than downing it in one go, so the word describes a pace as much as a drink. The noun "tipple" for an alcoholic drink grew out of the verb, and the verb has stayed comfortably informal ever since.

Synonyms: drinks, sips, nips

Antonyms: abstains