quaff

Attested since the mid 16th century, of uncertain origin. Suggestions include connection with Old Irish cuäch (“cup, goblet, bowl; cauldron, large vessel; bowl, cup”) (whence Scots quaich, queff). The noun is derived from the verb, since the later 16th century.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kwɒf/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kwɑf/, /kwɔf/

• Audio (US cot-caught merged)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒf

quaff (third-person singular simple present quaffs, present participle quaffing, simple past and past participle quaffed)

1. To drink or imbibe with vigour or relish; to drink copiously; to swallow in large draughts.
   • 1594 Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew i 2

     Please ye we may contrive this afternoon, / And quaff carouses to our mistress' health

   • 1667 — John Milton, Paradise Lost Book V

     They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet

     Quaff immortality and joy...

   • 1823, Mary Shelley, Valperga

     Sometimes the memory of her peaceful life at Florence obtruded itself upon her, and more than that, her charitable occupations when she attended the sick in that city, and whence, as from a rough-hewn chalice containing nectarian drink, she had quaffed happiness.

   • 1845 — Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

     Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!

   • 1852 — Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dr. Heidegger's Experiment

     Even while quaffing the third draught of the Fountain of Youth, they were almost awed by the expression of his mysterious visage.

   • 2017 December 21, Gabriel Sherman, ““I Have Power”: Is Steve Bannon Running for President?”, in Vanity Fair‎:

     Bannon was padding around the room in a black blazer over two collared shirts, quaffing a can of Pocari Sweat, a popular Japanese energy drink.

quaff (plural quaffs)

1. The act of quaffing, a deep draught.
2. Misspelling of coif.
   • 1953 July, Theodore Sturgeon, “The World Well Lost”, in Universe Science Fiction, number 1, page 16; reprinted as “The World Well Lost”, in Thomas N. Scortia, editor, Strange Bedfellows: Sex and Science Fiction, New York: Random House, Inc, 1972, →ISBN, OCLC 00354310, page 56:

     There were loverbird songs and loverbird trinkets, loverbird hats and pins, bangles and baubles, coins and quaffs and tidbits.

   • 2013 June 19, Sarah Romanowski, “status update”, in Twitter‎:

     I'm actually gonna miss @sreizis and seeing him and his perfectly groomed quaff everyday in every class.

   • 2014 January 19, Ryan Arciero, “Miley Cyrus new hair: Bowl cut a fresh style for singer, mixed reactions so far”, in Examiner.com‎:

     The Miley Cyrus new hair photos reveal the former Hannah Montana star sporting a bowl cut of sorts that isn’t receiving all good news at this point. Cyrus revealed her new quaff this Tuesday with friends while relaxing outside a local Los Angeles recording studio.

• chug
• gulp
• swig
• See also Thesaurus:drink