Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US Und.) to embezzle the takings of an illegal card-game, confidence trick etc; thus sink someone on/of v., to cheat a partner of such takings.

1718		C. Hitchin Conduct of Receivers and Thief-Takers 16: There is not a more honest or better File [...] I have heard his Fellowman say, that he has never sunk him of a Farthing, and they have gone together on 30 Years on this Lay.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum 80: sink To cheat; to hide from a partner. sinkers Thieves who do not divide fair with their companions.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 12/1: Legs had [...] been doing a crib the night previous, but on ‘raking the stuff, stuck’ to some eighty pounds. The others found it out, and [...] he was accused of sinking the eighty ‘quid,’ and asked to ‘square it’.
1873		J. O’Connor Wanderings of a Vagabond 389: Besides the care of his trainers, rubbers, riders, and race-horses, he was obliged to watch his sharpers to see that they did not ‘sink’ on him.

2. (US) to bury; also in fig. use as to lose, to dispose of.

1765		Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies 3: She is rated but twnety-six [...] but we are of the opinion that she has at least sunk a good ten years.
1891		F.W. Carew Autobiog. of a Gipsey 230: The sooner you drop it and get people to forget how you’re bred, the better [...] So take my tip and sink the Romany.
1907		B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 9: Poor Fritz always was a good friend of mine. The least I can do is help sink him.
1951		C. Stoker Thicker ’n Thieves 303: Parker [...] was hoping that Mrs. Christian would be instrumental in sinking me on perjured testimony.
1961		W.R. Burnett Round the Clock at Volari’s 16: ‘The cleanup isn’t over,’ Jim said. ‘They’re still uncovering things. If they can sink Tom, they will’.

3. (also sink back) to drink alcohol, e.g. sink the amber, to drink beer [note Antidote against Melancholy (1661) ‘In a pint there’s small heart, Sirah, bring a quart / [...] / Wee’l sink him before sunset’].

1781		G. Parker View of Society II 130: He takes the money and grabbles the bit as fast as possible, all or the most part of which he sinks.
c.1790		‘The Rakes of Mallow’ 2: Beauing, belling, dancing, sinking, / Breaking windows, damning, sinking [...] Live the Rakes of Mallow. / One time nought but claret drinking, / Then like politicians thinking, / To raise the nations fund when sinking, / Live the Rakes of Mallow.
1797		Bridges Burlesque Homer (4th edn) II 54: A round dozen pipes they sunk, / And then return to town dead drunk.
1837		‘The Sedgfield Frolic’ in Rum Ti Tum! in Spedding & Watt (eds) Bawdy Songbooks (2011) III 178: There’s a brave sinking tailor, / That hath a brisk handsome wife.
1839		Bell’s Life in London 10 Feb. 2/1: Young sprigs of rank [...] / Their courage high, their game unshrinking / While whisker’s Marquisses display / Wound’rous alacrity at sinking.
1896		Coburg Leader (Vic.) 22 Feb. 4/4: Could Quack sink a pint.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Dec. 14/1: He strolled into a public bar and loudly called for beer; / He downed it with a gurgling sigh and scratched his off-side ear; / ‘I’m from the country, boys,’ he said, ‘and snakes, but ain’t I dry! / We’re reg’lar whales at sinking beer – us coves from Mungindi.’.
1903		Bulletin (Sydney) 2 July 34/2: [H]e swaggered off to sink a soda an’ milk at the pasthry place beyont.
1905		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Off the Mark’ Sporting Times 22 Apr. 1/3: She forms idiotic estimates of how much I have sunk / In the liquor line.
1918		Kia Ora Coo-ee 15 Apr. 17: And after we had sunk a few boozes… We saw the A.P.M. But he saw us first.
1928		Townsville Daily Bull. (Qld) 25 Feb. 14/3: I have noticed that Steve and yourself have been sinking a few pots.
1934		Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld) 1 Mar. 10/4: I sinks me jug.
1947		J. Maclaren-Ross Of Love And Hunger 124: Here, sink that pint and have one on me.
1950		‘Neville Shute’ Town Like Alice 219: He took a glass and sank half of it.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 78: The men were going to sink a brandy or two.
1961		B. Crump Hang On a Minute, Mate (1963) 111: Might as well sink one or two while we’re here.
1966		P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 63: It took you sinking your pint middling rapid to keep pace with them.
1969		A. Buzo Rooted I iii: I just thought we’d drop in, have a chat, sink a few.
1977		T. Ronan Mighty Men on Horseback 17: We had indulged in normal occupation of sinking a few noggins.
1984		Benjamin & Pearl Limericks Down Under 68: [T]he gins and the tonics are sunk.
1988		T. Jones Curse of the Vampire Socks 36: So come and sink a lager!
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 61: Big Oscar wasn’t molly or even half blotto because he’d only sunk three schooners.
1998		B. Robinson Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman 180: It was Rob’s practice to sink a gut full of Teachers’.
2000		Guardian G2 10 Jan. 3: Will you be sinking some back?
2020		D. Whish-Wilson Shore Leave 94: [T]hey’d spent the night around the fire ‘sinking piss’.

4. to betray, to inform on.

1903

H. Hapgood Autobiog. of a Thief 221: They all believed the worst thing a grafter could do was to sink a pal.

5. (US) to hit.

1966

F. Elli Riot (1967) 172: Keep your snitchin’ mouth shut or I’ll sink a couple in that lard sack of yours.

6. (UK black) to eat, to consume.

2016

A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 16: I left some [food] in the oven for Dad to sink when he got home.

7. (US und.) to kill.

2023

(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 8: Max said, ‘Sink him, Freddy’ [...] I shoved Danforth off the cliff.