Green’s Dictionary of Slang

booze n.

[bouse n.; the orig. spelling is bouse, but it has been superseded by booze since the late 17C]

1. [late 17C+] (also boose, booz, boozerine, bues) alcohol, a drink; for earlier uses see bouse n.

2. attrib. use of sense 1.

3. [mid-18C+] the act of drinking; a drinking spree.

4. [late 19C–1910s] a (glass of) drink.

In derivatives

booze-fest (n.) [-fest sfx]

[1930s+] (US) a drunken party.

In compounds

booze balloon (n.)

[1970s+] (N.Z.) a fat stomach that has resulted from sustained heavy drinking.

booze barn (n.) (also beer barn)

[1970s+] (N.Z.) anywhere dedicated to the large-scale and rapid service of alcohol.

booze bazaar (n.)

[late 19C–1900s] (US) a bar.

booze belly (n.)

[1960s+] (US) a fat stomach that has resulted from excessive drinking.

booze bug (n.)

[1900s] (US) a drunkard, an alcoholic.

booze bus (n.)

[1980s+] (Aus./N.Z.) a police van used for random breath tests (for excess alcohol).

booze can (n.)

[1990s+] (W.I. Rasta) a drink and dance party, a ‘rave’.

booze-capper (n.) [capper n.1 (2)]

[1900s–10s] a woman who works in a bar to persuade customers to drink more than they wish or should.

booze casa (n.) [casa n.1 ]

[mid-19C] a public house, a tavern.

booze clerk (n.)

[late 19C–1920s] (US) a bartender.

booze crib (n.) (also booze joint, …mill, …parlor, boozing joint, boose...) [crib n.1 (1)/joint n. (3b)/SE mill, a place of activity, work]

[mid-19C–1930s] (UK/US Und.) a bar, a tavern, any drinking establishment.

booze factory (n.) (also rum factory)

[late 19C–1900s] (US) a saloon, a bar (subseq. use refers to distilleries, often illegal).

booze-fencer (n.) [-fencer sfx]

[late 19C–1900s] a licensed victualler.

booze fest (n.)

[1900s-20s] (US) any celebration featuring the consumpion of alcohol.

booze fight/-fighter/-fighting

see separate entries.

booze foundry (n.) [SE foundry]

[late 19C+] (US) a saloon.

booze grafter (n.)

[late19C-1900s] (US) one who obtains drink for free thus booze-grafting, persuading others to buy one a drink.

booze-head (n.) (also booze freak) [-head sfx (3)]

[1910s+] (US) a drunkard.

booze-hoister (n.) (also booze hister)

1. [20C+] (US) a prodigious drinker; thus booze-hoisting, heavy drinking.

2. [1930s] a bartender.

booze-hound (n.) [-hound sfx]

[20C+] (US) a dedicated drinker.

booze-pusher (n.)

[late 19C–1900s] a licensed victualler.

booze rooster (n.) [play on boozeroo n.]

[1960s] (N.Z.) a heavy drinker.

booze runner (n.) [runner n. (1)]

[1920s–30s] (US Und.) a transporter/smuggler of illegal alcohol; the vehicle or vessel used for such transport; thus booze run, the act of smuggling.

booze session (n.)

[1960s+] a drinking party (usu. in a public house or bar).

booze shop (n.)

[1910s] (Aus.) a public house.

booze shunter (n.) [coined by railwaymen working for the Southern Region]

[late 19C–1900s] a beer drinker.

booze slinger (n.)

[1900s] (US) a barman.

booze stupe (n.) [stupe n.; lit. ‘drink-fool’]

[1950s] (US) an alcoholic.

In phrases

booze-up (n.)

see separate entry.

hit the booze (v.)

[late 19C+] (orig. US) to drink heavily.

on the booze

[mid-19C+] drinking heavily.

sling the booze (v.)

[late 19C] to treat one’s companions.