Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to drink (hastily and copiously); thus swiping n., drinking.

1820		Jack Randall’s Diary 5: And now, my Swells, we’ll swipe success (* To swipe, is to drink) To that which makes us laurels win.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 149/2: They sells beer there for thrippence a pot at the bar. He likes swiping, and he likes it cheap.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1884		Leics. Chron. 24 May 12/3: [I’ll] get her to bring me in a bottle or two of wine. Fred and me will soon swipe that up.
1890		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer I 216: He talks a deal more than he swipes.
1900–01		H. Lawson ‘A Bush Publican’s Lament’ in Roderick (1972) 468: Him an’ his mates [...] go on a howlin’ spree in the mud, an’ spill more’n they swipe.