English idiom

hit the bottle

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to begin drinking alcohol heavily, often in response to personal distress

Word picture

The bottle stands for alcohol, and heavy drinking is pictured as repeatedly turning toward it.

Example

“The memoir describes how he hit the bottle during a period of intense grief.”

Dictionary details

Component words

hit bottle

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

hit home

make someone fully understand or feel the importance of something

hit the jackpot

To gain a remarkably favorable result, usually unexpectedly or through luck.

hit the mark

to produce exactly the intended effect or be correct

alive and kicking

still healthy, active, or functioning despite age or difficulty

blow off steam

to release pent-up energy or emotion through some activity

cut loose

to abandon restraint and behave freely or wildly

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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