quaff
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
an act or instance of quaffing.
-
a beverage quaffed.
verb
Other Word Forms
- outquaff verb (used with object)
- quaffable adjective
- quaffer noun
- unquaffed adjective
Etymology
Origin of quaff
First recorded in 1515–25; origin uncertain
Explanation
To quaff is to gulp. You’re in a desert; you haven’t had water in days; you’re wicked thirsty. Then you find an oasis! You lean over and quaff the water. If you’re in a room with your favorite foods, you might stuff the food into your mouth. Quaffing is the same fun, but with beverages instead of foods. But just like with stuffing food, quaffing means you drink a little too much. Often, quaffing refers to alcoholic drinks, but it can mean any beverage in general, like milkshakes. Quaff a milkshake and you’ll get a headache, but you’ll have fun doing it.
Vocabulary lists containing quaff
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unruly salt-and-pepper hair in a long quaff, round glasses and broad smile give James Ortiz the look of a whimsical inventor, the kind that hides away in his workshop crafting extraordinary artifacts.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
It’s the outline of Mr. Trump’s head – complete with quaff, bushy eyebrows and long neck.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2024
Anxious Americans, or at least the ones who regularly quaff Coke Zero, will be the judge.
From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2021
The restaurant’s Madeira selections, they point out, are a link to the Founding Fathers’ quaff of choice.
From Washington Post • Jun. 28, 2018
I'm in the midst of taking a quaff of my ale and I nearly spit it all over the table.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
