gin and tonic
- noun
- /dʒɪn ənd ˈtɑnɪk/
- Rita placed the two gin and tonics on the table and departed.
- sip gin and tonic
- drink gin and tonic
- mix a gin and tonic
So we've had three glasses of champagne, two gin and tonics, two shots of vodka.
- So we've had three glasses of champagne, two gin and tonics, two shots of vodka.
- And he said, right, this landlord's telling me that Penny had one or two or three gin and tonics all night.
- And so I have now switched to drinking gin and soda with a squeeze of lime, and that's much more keto friendly than the old gin and tonic.
- He did it with a gin and tonic, which certainly did bag.
Examples
-
All he needs are his golf clubs and a gin and tonic.
-
A gin and tonic, please.
-
So here we have a gin and tonic for you.
-
I thought you were going to offer me a gin and tonic.
-
Can we get a gin and tonic?
-
Yes, a gin and tonic, please.
-
- Okay, I'll have a gin and tonic.
-
I'll have a gin and tonic, please.
-
"Did you grow up there?" he asked, taking a sip of the gin and tonic.
Fiction book (1997) -
I'll have a gin and tonic with a twist of lime, my good man.
Synonyms
A cold drink made by mixing different kinds of alcohol and other ingredients
How Alcoholic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is literally the combination of the two constituents: 'gin' (an alcoholic spirit) and 'tonic' (tonic water) joined by 'and', indicating a mixture. This compositional naming for a mixed drink is cross-linguistically common and follows a transparent noun + and + noun pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Gin and tonic comes from British times in India, where people mixed bitter tonic water, a 'medicine' used to stop sickness, with gin to make the taste nicer. That's why today gin and tonic means the mixed drink of gin and tonic water, usually served with ice and a slice of lime.