in one's cups
Drunk; in the act of consuming alcohol liberally.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He says silly things when he is in his cups.”
“The politician became quite loud and started making strange promises while he was in his cups at the party.”
“The old sailor, usually a man of few words, became uncharacteristically sentimental and prone to rambling tales when he was in his cups.”
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abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026