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Glite Dictionary
dribbling drunk

dribbling drunk

9.3
A person who is very drunk and helpless, often drooling
  • noun
  • Slang
translation icon : borracho baboso
  • The bartender refused to serve the dribbling drunk staggering at the counter.

Examples

  • One dribbling drunk tried to dance and knocked over a chair.

  • Last night, I saw a dribbling drunk fall over.

  • I don't want to end up like a dribbling drunk at every party.

  • Don't be a dribbling drunk at the party!

  • The dribbling drunk stumbled down the street, mumbling to himself and drawing curious stares.

  • Everyone at the bar was embarrassed when the dribbling drunk loudly sang off-key.

  • After several rounds of drinks, he became a dribbling drunk, unable to form coherent sentences.

Synonyms

drunk
vsdribbling drunk
  • Informal
137 3.5

A person who has too much alcohol in their body, either now or often

is focused on very extreme intoxication and on helpless foolish behaviour
stinko
vsdribbling drunk
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who is extremely drunk

is a descriptive label for extreme intoxication that stresses helpless foolish behaviour

Antonyms

sober
269 3.2

Not having drunk alcohol or taken drugs

How Drunk

to pass out
188 3.7
plastered
  • Informal
8.3
dribbling drunk
  • Slang
9.3
drunk
∞ 1.6
tipsy
  • Informal
18 4.8

Surface Forms

dribbling drunk singular
dribbling drunks plural

Morphology

dribble + drunk

The meaning is directly inferable from the constituents: 'dribble' (to let liquid or saliva drip) combined with 'drunk' (intoxicated) evokes a person so intoxicated they are drooling or helpless. This present-participle + adjective construction is compositional and creates a clear physical image, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily deduce the meaning.

Etymology

The expression dribbling drunk may come from the image of someone so drunk that they are dribbling, with drool or small drops running from their mouth while they walk unsteadily. That's why it means 'a person extremely drunk and acting foolish or helpless'.