quaff English · revision 1310

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kwɒf/ ''(UK)''; /kwɑf/, /kwɔf/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is of unknown or uncertain origin.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It is perhaps imitative of the sound of deep drinking,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) or from Low German ''quassen'' “to overindulge” with ''-ss-'' misread as ''-ff-''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To drain a cup in a deep draught (1523, as ''quaft'').^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive sense, to drink deeply, is from 1529,^(OED 1989) and the transitive sense, to drink a liquor heartily, from 1555–58.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) The noun followed in 1579.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) ''Quaffable'', of wine that is easy to drink, is a later formation.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1510s – implied in ''quaffer''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1523 – to drain a cup.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1529 – to drink deeply.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1555 – the spelling ''quaff''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1579 – noun, a deep draught.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To drink something heartily or in large draughts.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A hearty draught of liquid.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[quaffer]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''swallow'', ''gulp'', ''swig'' and ''guzzle'' as synonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}