good drunk en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Probably first used in literature in this manner by Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises (1926).
Meanings
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(idiomatic) A person who is cheerful and companionable when intoxicated, retaining reasonable control of his or her mental and emotional faculties.
He was drinking a lot back when I first met him. A real heavy drinker, but a good drunk. He never let his ugly side show.
2005, Vassilis Vassilikos, translated by Karen Emmerich, The Few Things I Know About Glafkos Thrassakis, →ISBN, page 108:In many quarters, "it is important to be a good drunk to fit in socially" (make that across the board if you are male).
2004, Shane Watson, “drink”, in New Statesman, volume 133, number 4717, page 56:The boss and my fellow workers were well aware of my drinking habits, but I had always been able to keep my wits about me. I was a good drunk, as they say.
2008, Geoff Coates, In June the River, →ISBN, page 142:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| good drunks | Number=Plur | lexicographic |