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REFERENCE

drunk

adj. · v. · n.
US //ˈdɹəŋk// UK //dɹˈʌŋk// drunk
  1. 1 intoxicated (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    having had too much alcohol, making it hard to think, speak, or walk clearly.

    intoxicated by alcohol to the point of impaired physical and mental control.

    Example

    He was too drunk to drive, so he took a taxi home instead.

    Example

    The witness testified that the defendant appeared visibly drunk, citing his slurred speech and inability to maintain his balance during the encounter.
    Pitfall
    He was very drink last night.
    He was very drunk last night.

    Use 'drunk' as the adjective to describe the person's state, not the verb 'drink'.

  2. 2 past participle of drink (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    the form of 'drink' used after 'have', 'has', or 'had'.

    the past participle of the irregular verb 'drink'.

    Example

    I have already drunk three cups of coffee this morning.

    Example

    By the time the sun reached its zenith, the hikers had drunk nearly all of their remaining water supplies.
    Pitfall
    I have drank all the water.
    I have drunk all the water.

    In standard English, 'drank' is the simple past, while 'drunk' is the past participle used with 'have'.

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  1. 3 a person who is intoxicated (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    a person who is currently very intoxicated or someone who drinks too much alcohol regularly.

    a person who is intoxicated or a habitual drinker. Often carries a derogatory or informal tone depending on context.

    Example

    The police had to remove a loud drunk from the train station.

    Example

    The novelist often depicted the local drunk as a tragic figure, a man whose potential had been washed away by decades of addiction.
  2. 4 overwhelmed by emotion (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    feeling very excited or powerful because of a strong emotion like success or love.

    metaphorically intoxicated or emboldened by a powerful emotion or abstract concept.

    Example

    The young soldiers were drunk with the excitement of their first victory.

    Example

    Drunk with power, the dictator began to ignore the advice of his closest generals, leading the nation toward an avoidable conflict.
Origin

From Middle English drunke, drunken, ydrunke, ydrunken, from Old English druncen, ġedruncen (“drunk”), from Proto-Germanic drunkanaz, gadrunkanaz (“drunk; drunken”), past participle of Proto-Germanic *drinkaną (“to drink”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian dronken, West Frisian dronken, Dutch dronken, gedronken, German Low German drunken, bedrunken, German trunken, getrunken, betrunken, Swedish drucken, Icelandic drukkinn.

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