She can drink you under the table
2016.08.31
Meaning:
Japanese people sometimes tell me, ‘I think you are strong at drinking alcohol!’ (I’m not, but that’s not the point!) Anyway, ‘strong’ to describe drinking sounds a little strange in English. We can say, ‘He/She is a heavy drinker’ (but that is a negative expression; it suggests alcoholism) and we can say ‘He/She likes a drink’ (this is not negative or positive). However, my favourite expression about drinking is ‘He/She can drink you under the table’. This has a positive nuance. It means that he or she can drink more alcohol than ‘you’. It also suggests that he or she can stay calm and cool after drinking; while ‘you’ get so drunk that you fall asleep under the table.
Example:
A: Would you like another beer? Are you sure you can manage it?
B: Huh! I could drink you under the table!
A: Ok, challenge accepted! Waiter – bring us some tequila!
Talking Point(s):
Do you like a drink? Have you ever drunk someone under the table?
Practice English by posting an answer to the Talking Point on https://www.facebook.com/GetGOEikaiwa