English Reference
noun · adjective

drinking

n. · adj.
US /ˈdɹɪŋkɪŋ/ UK /dɹˈɪŋkɪŋ/ drink·ing

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.the habit or act of consuming alcoholic drinks.

    n.the consumption of alcoholic beverages, often implying a social activity or a habitual practice.

    Simple

    He decided to give up drinking for a month to improve his health.

    In context

    The study examines the correlation between social drinking and long-term cardiovascular health in middle-aged adults.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the habit in general.

    alcohol consumptionboozing
  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    adj.safe or suitable for people to drink.

    adj.describing water or other liquids that are potable and safe for human consumption.

    Simple

    Is the tap water here safe for drinking?

    In context

    The charity focused on providing clean drinking water to remote villages that lacked basic infrastructure.

    undrinkablecontaminated
  3. 03 B1 Intermediate

    adj.describing an object made specifically for holding or serving drinks.

    adj.attributive use describing vessels or containers designed for the purpose of consumption.

    Simple

    She bought a set of crystal drinking glasses for the dinner party.

    In context

    The archaeological site yielded several ornate drinking vessels used during ceremonial feasts in the fourteenth century.

Usage drinking water · drinking alcohol


Inherited from Middle English [Term?]. By surface analysis, drink + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated