Meaning & use
quaff
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitiveold-fashionedhumorous
To drink something eagerly and in large gulps, especially an alcoholic drink.
Grammar: Can take an object: quaff a pint; or none: they quaffed happily.
Patterns
- quaff something
- quaff from something
The knights quaffed ale around the fire.
He quaffed a glass of lemonade after the race.
Guests quaffed champagne all evening.
nouncountableliteraryrare
A large, hearty drink.
Grammar: Rare and literary; usually with a: a quaff of ale.
Patterns
- a quaff of something
He took a long quaff of cold cider.
She enjoyed a quaff of mead at the festival.
One quaff emptied the mug.
Word forms
| third person singular | quaffs |
|---|---|
| past tense | quaffed |
| past participle | quaffed |
| -ing form | quaffing |
Common combinations
- quaff ale
- Villagers quaffed ale at the harvest feast.
- quaff a pint
- He quaffed a pint after work.
- quaff wine
- Guests quaffed wine in the garden.
- quaff deeply
- He quaffed deeply from the goblet.
- quaff down
- She quaffed down the juice before running out.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gulp
- Gulp is neutral and suggests drinking fast, perhaps out of thirst, while quaff sounds more hearty and enjoyable.
- swig
- Swig is informal and suggests big mouthfuls straight from a bottle.
- guzzle
- Guzzle suggests greedy drinking, often with a negative tone, whereas quaff is cheerful.
- sip
- Sip is the opposite manner, drinking in small amounts slowly.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: quaff or quiff? quaff or coif?
quaff vs quiff
A quiff is a raised tuft of hair at the front of the head. It has no connection with drinking.
quaff vs coif
Coif is a hairstyle or a close-fitting cap. It sounds similar but means something else.
Practice
After the long hike, the travelers ___ cold water from the stream.
Choose one answer.
Quaffed means drank heartily in big gulps, which suits tired hikers. Sipped means small amounts, tasted means a little, and spilled does not mean drinking.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “quaff”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.