Getting drunk has always been an important part of human history. That’s why there are so many words in every language to describe this phenomenon. The University of Glasgow Scotland came up with a list of all the words in the English language to describe when you’re tap-shackled, foxed, shot in the neck or cock-eyed. From Old English (OE) to American or Australian slang.

The great thing about this list is that most of the words actually have a year behind them in which it was first used. And even though the list is far from complete, it is quite the collection. We give you 193 ways to say that you’re drunk and another 43 to say that you’re very drunk. When you check out the Historical Thesaurus of the University of Glasgow you’ll also find subcategories like partially drunk, fighting drunk and insensibly drunk. But for now enjoy these 236 ways to describe our favorite state of mind. Ah what the hell, let’s make it a nice round number. Hammered, sauced, mortal and shitfaced bring the total up to 240. Cheers!

193 ways to say you’re drunk:

druncenig OE
dryncwerig OE
indruncen OE
oferdruncen OE
symbelgal OE
symbelwlonc OE
fordrunken < fordruncen OE–1513
drunken < (ge)druncen OE–
cup-shotten c1330–a1693
drunk c1340–
enebrie c1430
overseen (with drink) c1475–1678
inebriate 1497–
whittled 1530–1694
overseen 1532 + 1628
fou 1535– Scots
nase a1550 cant + 1567 cant
tippled 1564–1669
intoxicated 1576–
pepst 1577
intoxicate 1581–1610 + 1845
whip-cat 1582–1611
pottical 1586–1589
fox-drunk 1592
lion-drunk 1592–a1640
cup-shot a1593–1639 + a1700 cant Dict.
sack-sopt 1593
in drink 1596–
fap 1598 + 1818
drink-drowned 1600
tap-shackled 1604 + c1608
overshot 1605 + 1931–
overflown 1607 + 1642
disguised 1607– arch. slang
reeling ripe 1610 + 1833–1883
love-pot 1611
pot-sick 1611
whift 1611
bumpsy 1611 + 1630 obs. exc. dial.
foxed 1611–1673 + 1896
in one’s cups 1611–
inebriated 1615–
in one’s pots 1618 + c1618
bene-bowsie 1621
scratched 1622 slang
high 1627– slang
temulentive 1628
temulent 1628–
pot-shotten 1629
jug-bitten 1630 slang
pot-shaken 1630
pot-shot 1630 + a1632
ebrious 1630–1858
topped a1632 + 1637
swilled 1634
toxed 1635(2) slang + 1637 slang
paid 1638
tankard 1642
soaken 1651 + 1846
temulentious 1652
flagonal 1653
high-flown a1656
fuddled 1656–
cut 1673– slang
drunk as a wheelbarrow 1675–1709
liquored 1681
concerned in drink/liquor 1687–1731 now vulgar & dial.
suckey a1700 slang
nazy a1700 slang + 1855 dial.
wet 1704 colloq. + 1834 colloq.
tipped 1708 slang
tow-row 1709
swash 1711 dial. + 1728 dial.
muddled 1712 + 1840
strut 1715 Scots
nappy 1721–
concerned 1723 now vulgar & dial.
jagged 1737 slang +1902– slang, chiefly US
soaked 1737 + 1899–
stewed 1737– slang, orig. US
stiff 1737– US slang rare
dagged 1745 slang + 1847/78 dial.
concerned with drink/liquor 1752– now vulgar & dial.
in liquor 1753 + 1871
muckibus 1756 vulgar
groggy 1770–
muzzy 1775– colloq. & dial.
slewed 1801–
lumpy 1810–1864 slang
lushy 1811–
floored 1812 slang Dict.
lush 1812 slang Dict.
in the wind 1818–1840 Nautical slang
half-shaved 1818 US slang + a1852 US slang
blue 1818– slang, chiefly US
malty 1819–1852 slang
ripe 1823– slang
queer 1826 slang
sprung 1826– slang
shot in the neck 1830–1855 US
rummy 1834
the worse for/of liquor/drink 1835–
muzzed 1836 slang
inebrious 1837–
grogged 1842
pickled 1842 slang + 1900– slang
swizzled 1843–
hit under the wing 1844 slang
ebriate 1847 humorous
pixilated 1848– orig. US dial.
boozed (up) 1850– also transf.
squiffy 1855– slang
buffy 1858– slang
elephant’s trunk 1859– slang
scammered 1859– Dict. slang
shot 1864– slang US Austral. & NZ
ebriose 1871–
mixed 1872 colloq.
fly-blown 1877
shickery 1878 slang
under the influence 1879–
boiled 1886– slang
sozzled/sosselled 1886/96– slang
squiffed a1890– slang
loaded for bear(s) 1890 joc.
over-sparred 1890 Nautical slang
loaded 1890– US slang
ploughed 1890– slang, chiefly US
shicker 1892– Austral. & NZ colloq.
half-cut 1893– slang
tanked (up) 1893– slang
up the/a pole 1897–1917 colloq.
woozy 1897– colloq., orig. US
inked 1898– Austral. slang
toxic 1899
owl-eyed 1900 US dial.
pie-eyed 1904– slang, orig. US
pifflicated 1905 US slang + 1934 US slang
on one’s ear 1906–
spiflicated/spifflicated 1906– slang, orig. US
parlatic/par’latic 1907–
skimished 1908 slang
jingled 1908– US slang
tin hat(s) 1909–1919
pipped 1911 + 1929
shickered 1911– Austral. & NZ colloq.
piped 1912–1953 US slang
polluted 1912– slang, orig. US
peloothered 1914 rare
canned 1914– slang
lit (up) 1914– slang
shick 1916– Austral. & NZ colloq.
blotto 1917– slang
zigzag 1918– Military slang, chiefly US
stunned 1919–1933 Austral. & NZ slang
stung 1919– Austral. slang
potted 1924– N. Amer. slang
gassed 1925– slang
poggle/puggle/puggly 1925– slang
cock-eyed 1926– colloq., orig. US
fried 1926– slang
bottled 1927– slang
crocked 1927–
(well-)lubricated 1927– slang
whiffled 1927– slang
pissed (up) 1929– slang
steamed(-up) 1929– slang
swacked 1932– US slang
poggled 1933 Military slang
looped 1934– slang, chiefly US
stocious/stotious 1937 slang
whistled 1938– slang, orig. Military
high as a kite 1939–
liquefied/liquified 1939– joc.
rotten 1941– Austral. slang
plonked 1943– slang
stone 1945–1960 US slang
juiced (up) 1946– slang
schnockered 1955– US colloq.
honkers 1957– slang
bombed (out)/bombed-out 1959–
zonked (out) 1959– also transf. & fig.
bevvied 1960– slang
snockered 1961– slang
plotzed 1962– slang
over the limit 1966– colloq., orig. US
the worse for wear 1966–
wasted 1968/70–
blasted 1972– slang, chiefly US
wired (up) 1977– slang, chiefly US
tired and emotional 1981– joc.
ratted 1983– slang
rat-arsed 1984– Dict. slang

 43 ways to say you’re completely/very drunk:

geillerocad OE
drunk as a dreynt mouse a1310
drunken as the devil c1375
to-drunk 1382
drunk as a mouse a1386–1536
sow-drunk 1509–1522 + 1880
drunk as a rat 1553–1661
fish-drunk 1591
swine-drunk 1592–1601
sod 1613
soused 1613 + 1932
drunk as a beggar 1622
blind 1630–
drunk as a lord 1651–
as full/tight as a tick 1678–
clear 1688–1697 slang + 1725 slang Dict.
drunk as a fish 1700
drunk as a wheelbarrow 1709
drunk as a piper 1727–1894
as drunk as David’s sow 1727–
as drunk as an owl 1764–1840
blind-drunk c1775–
as drunk as a sow 1816
whole-seas 1821 humorous
three sheets in the wind 1821–
drunk as a loon 1830–
drunk as a fiddler 1832
stinking (drunk) 1887–
drunk as a boiled owl 1892 slang + 1922 slang
(as) full as a tick/egg/bull 1892– Austral. & NZ slang
plastered 1912– slang
shellac(k)ed 1922– US slang
stonkered 1924– slang, chiefly Austral. & NZ
stinko 1927–
drunk as a piss-ant 1930 + 1945
lousy drunk 1932 + 1936 chiefly N. Amer.
kaylied (up) 1937– dial. & slang
stinko paralytico 1942 joc.
stoned 1955– slang, orig. US
smashed 1962– slang, orig. US
stoned out 1968– slang, orig. US
stinko drunk 1976
legless 1976– slang

Own additions to the list:

hammered
sauced
shitfaced
mortal

Micky Bumbar

.

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