Meaning & use
pre drinks
Last updated
Meanings
nounpluralinformal
A small informal gathering where people have drinks at home before going out to a bar or party.
Grammar: Usually plural in form and takes a plural verb: the pre drinks were fun. It is not used with an or one.
Patterns
- have pre drinks
- go to pre drinks
- pre drinks at someone's place
We're having pre drinks at my flat before we head to the club.
Pre drinks at Emma's were louder than the actual party.
He skipped the pre drinks and met us at the bar later.
nounpluralinformal
Drinks bought or served cheaply at home before people go out, so they spend less later.
Grammar: Refers to the drinks themselves, not the event; still plural and used with a plural verb.
Patterns
- buy pre drinks
- cheap pre drinks
- pre drinks from the supermarket
We grabbed some pre drinks from the shop to save money.
The pre drinks were just beer and crisps on the kitchen table.
Cheap pre drinks meant we could afford a taxi home.
Common combinations
- have pre drinks
- Let's have pre drinks at mine before the concert.
- go for pre drinks
- They went for pre drinks at a pub near the station.
- pre drinks at someone's place
- Pre drinks at Dan's place start around eight.
- pre drinks before a night out
- We always plan pre drinks before a night out.
- skip the pre drinks
- I'll skip the pre drinks and see you there.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pregame
- The usual American English word for the same idea; use it with American speakers, while pre drinks sounds British or Australian.
- pregaming
- American English and slightly more focused on the activity of drinking before going out, whereas pre drinks can also mean the event itself.
- drinks
- A general word for a social occasion with alcohol; it does not carry the idea of happening before a bigger night out.
Word family
- pre-drink verb
- Informal verb meaning to drink alcohol at home before going out.
- drinks noun
- A social occasion where people have alcoholic drinks.
Commonly confused: pre drinks or pre-drink? pre drinks or drink?
pre drinks vs pre-drink
This is the verb form (we pre-drink at home), while pre drinks is the noun for the gathering or the drinks themselves.
pre drinks vs drink
Drink is the general word for any beverage or the act of drinking; pre drinks specifically means drinks had before a night out.
Practice
Which sentence uses "pre drinks" correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Pre drinks" is a plural noun, so it takes no article: "We had pre drinks." Option 1 adds "a," which does not fit a plural noun; option 2 uses the wrong singular form; option 3 wrongly adds "the," which is not used in this fixed informal phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pre drinks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.