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Glite Dictionary
Dutch courage

Dutch courage

1 8.4
Temporary confidence people feel after drinking alcohol
  • noun
  • /dʌtʃ ˈkɜrɪdʒ/
  • Informal
translation icon : valor de botella
  • Like have a bit of Dutch courage but don't take it too far until you've got a group of mates that you know are good.

Like have a bit of Dutch courage but don't take it too far until you've got a group of mates that you know are good.

Examples

  • It's like Dutch courage, isn't it?

    The World's End (2013)

  • The only writing I've been doing myself is in my journal late at night, brief fits of irritation and quavering Dutch courage.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • A little bit of Dutch courage.

    Better Man (2024)

  • - Dutch courage, is it?

    Mascots (2016)

  • Did your name change give you Dutch courage?

    Blog text (15)

  • He's helping himself to some Dutch courage before facing you.

    An Education (2009)

  • In truth, I had caught Gillsworth's fear and needed a bit of Dutch courage.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Whether you like it or not, indeed whether you remember it or not—and by your own admission, you have a habit of blocking out anything that disturbs you—something so terrible happened that you primed yourself with Dutch courage and then had a second go at finishing it all.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • She had a shot of Dutch courage before speaking at the wedding.

  • Many people rely on Dutch courage to help them dance at parties.

Synonyms

liquid courage
vsDutch courage
  • Informal
3 7.9

Bravery you get from drinking alcohol

emphasizes bold outward actions after drinking rather than inner feeling

How Brave

heroism
57 4.2
bravery
104 2.3
Dutch courage
  • Informal
1 8.4
courage
∞ 1.4
caution
158 2.5
hesitation
110 2.8
timidity
7 5.8

Surface Forms

Dutch courage singular
Dutch courages plural

Morphology

Dutch + courage

The alcohol-related meaning cannot be predicted from the constituents: 'Dutch' is a nationality adjective and 'courage' means bravery, so a learner would plausibly interpret it as bravery connected to Dutch people rather than alcohol. The phrase is historically and culturally idiomatic (the alcohol sense is not a regular compositional extension), so its meaning is unpredictable to a B1 learner who only knows the parts.

Etymology

Dutch courage may come from English soldiers long ago who drank Dutch gin called 'jenever' before a fight to calm their nerves and make themselves braver. So, Dutch courage means 'confidence' you get from alcohol.