verb

swill

SWIL/swɪl/

To drink greedily or in large amounts.

The thirsty woman swills water from the large pitcher in greedy gulps.

A middle-aged South Asian woman greedily gulps water from a large clear pitcher, with a little water escaping at the corner of her mouth.

Etymology

swillOld Englishwash out, swirl liquid, gargle

The older verb described washing out, swirling liquid, or gargling. The later sense of drinking greedily shifts the focus from moving liquid around to taking it in.

More examples

After the hike, they swilled cold water from their bottles.
She spends the evening swilling cheap wine.
Don't swill your coffee; take time to enjoy it.

Forms

swill · swills · swilled · swilling

Similar words

guzzle: Emphasizes drinking large quantities quickly, often with obvious enthusiasm.
gulp: Emphasizes swallowing quickly, not necessarily drinking a large amount.
chug: Suggests drinking steadily without pausing, often finishing the container.