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teetotal

teetotal

1 7.4
Someone who does not drink alcohol
  • adjective
  • /ˈtiːˌtoʊtəl/
: abstemio
  • She's been teetotal since her recovery.

It's a punk rock term for being teetotal, straight edged cooler, right.

Examples

  • He has chosen to live a teetotal lifestyle, avoiding all alcoholic beverages.

  • Yeah, but he's teetotal out of choice, Dad.

  • Andy can drive, he's teetotal!

  • I've been vehemently teetotal for three years now.

  • I'm teetotal, I'm afraid.

  • After realizing the effects of alcohol on her health, she decided to remain teetotal.

  • As a teetotal individual, he always opts for soft drinks during parties.

Synonyms

dry
vsteetotal
22 5.7

Not drinking alcohol by choice

is personal complete abstinence rather than a political stance
on the wagon
vsteetotal
  • Informal
11 8.2

Not drinking alcohol after a period of heavy drinking

is a deliberate long-term choice to avoid alcohol completely

How Abstinent

teetotal
1 7.4
dry
22 5.7
sober
286 3.2
drunkenness
18 4.4
alcoholic
37 4.7

Surface Forms

teetotal positive

Etymology

Teetotal began in the 1800s as 'T-total', where the T stood for the word total, meaning 'complete'. So to be Teetotal is to be 'completely without alcohol'.