# wet the shamrock

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/wet-the-shamrock
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To go for an alcoholic drink, especially as part of a victory celebration or on Saint Patrick's Day.

## Examples

- 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.

## Origin

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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.