wet the shamrock
To go for an alcoholic drink, especially as part of a victory celebration or on Saint Patrick's Day.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“After the match, the team went to wet the shamrock.”
“When Ireland won the rugby game, everyone in the pub wanted to wet the shamrock until midnight.”
“Having secured the contract against all odds, the weary sales team retreated to the old pub on the corner to wet the shamrock and toast their unlikely triumph.”
From wet, in the sense of celebrating with alcohol, and the shamrock, from the *Trifolium repens* or similar clover-like plant used as a symbol of Ireland. The idiom refers to the custom of drowning the shamrock on Saint Patrick's Day.
The practice involves removing a shamrock worn upon one’s clothing and placing the greenery at the bottom of a glass. The vessel is then filled with an alcoholic beverage and drained. Certain authorities dictate that the shamrock is to be retrieved from the empty glass and thrown over the left shoulder, presumably to ensure the remainder of the year is slightly less inconvenient.
- 01
all wet
Utterly incorrect; erroneous; uninformed.
- 02
get one's feet wet
To begin gaining experience; to tentatively try something new.
- 03
get wet
Of a woman, to become sexually aroused, as indicated by the occurrence of the natural lubrication of the vagina.
- 04
ridden hard and put away wet
Mistreated; not properly cared for.
- 05
ride hard and put away wet
To mistreat (someone or something); to not properly care for.
- 06
soaking wet
Extremely wet.
- 07
throw a wet blanket on
To discredit; to spoil or disparage.
- 08
wet behind the ears
Inexperienced; just beginning; immature (especially in judgment).
Last updated August 10, 2026