imbibe

Definition

To drink (used frequently of alcoholic beverages).

Etymology

From Middle English imbiben, from Latin imbibō, from im- + bibō (“to drink”) (whence also beverage), from Proto-Italic *pibō, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₃-, whence also potable, potion.

Example Sentences

• "Perhaps in the case of the vodka-drinking peasant it is this weekly parboil which saves his life and postpones the dreadful day when the constant imbibing of unlimited quantities of the deadly liquor must be paid for."
• "Without its sting, the common yellowjacket would be unable to steal ham from our sandwich or imbibe the sweet juice from our peach."
• "to imbibe knowledge"