What does swigged mean?
Swigged is the past tense and past participle of swig, an informal verb meaning to drink greedily or take a large drink in one sustained swallow. The word is recognizable in both British and American English, though it is particularly associated with casual British usage. It often conveys quickness, eagerness, or relief: someone who has just finished a long walk may swig water, while a character in a story may swig a drink before making a dramatic announcement. Because it focuses on the manner of drinking rather than simply the act, swigged can imply that the drink was taken quickly, heartily, or without ceremony. The related noun swig means a drink or an amount of one, as in “take a swig of water.” Although vivid and memorable, swigged is generally more suited to informal speech and writing than to formal prose.
verbTo drink greedily or in one sustained swallow. In informal use, it can also mean to take a drink, especially a large one.
- To drink greedily or in one sustained swallow.
"After the hike, he swigged a bottle of water and sat down to rest."
"She swigged her coffee and hurried out the door."
"The sailors swigged rum from tin mugs."
A swig is one of those wonderfully direct words: if someone swigged a drink, they did not sip it politely.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does swigged come from?
The word belongs to a small family of English expressions whose precise origin is not securely documented. The related noun swig for a drink was in use by the late sixteenth century, and the verb developed from the idea of taking a drink. Its connection with drinking is clear in modern English, although the deeper history of the word remains uncertain.
Related word forms
How swigged is actually used
This form is informal and is especially common in British English. It can sound casual, energetic, or mildly comic, depending on the context.