chug = toss off, toss down

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the term in bold in the following brief excerpt from an English text?

“He chugged the rest of his beer and stumbled over to the 2 girls.”

chug = drink quickly, toss off, toss down, down a drink

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

[susiedqq]

Yes; "gulped" is another meaning.

[Charlie Bernstein]

“He chugged the rest of his beer and stumbled over to the 2 girls.”

chug = drink quickly, toss off, toss down, down a drink

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

There are some distinctions:

In American, we'd be more likely to say toss back and toss down than toss off.

Toss back = toss down = gulp = take a large swallow = finish a drink quickly.

Chug = drink a full container of beer all at once - a bottle, can, glass, or cup.

So chugging is a beer word, and it mainly applies to full containers. You can toss down the last of a beer you've been working on, but you'd generally only chug a full, fresh bottle or can of beer. That means that the author of your quote is using the term loosely.

Also, chugging is mainly an activity of college boys and is especially identified with fraternity (frat) life.

Brad grabbed a Bud from the fridge, popped the top, chugged it, and headed to class for final exams.

[I edit copy and have tutored college writing.]

[thod00]

chug = drink quickly, toss off, toss down, down a drink

To 'toss off' has a quite different meaning to an Englishman and will get you some very odd looks.

[bhaisahab]

To 'toss off' has a quite different meaning to an Englishman and will get you some very odd looks.

That's true, and I've never heard of 'chugged' in reference to drinking. I thought 'chugging' was what steam trains did.

[vil]

Hi teachers,

There is the original interpretation of the term in question namely “drink the beer all at one time without putting the glass down”. This information is from a perfect reliable source.

005 - Dare2 | ESL Podcast | Fun English Lessons

I know also the classical interpretation of the present term namely "the dull explosive noise made by an engine" for what reason I have sought the aid of you.

For your further information you might see the following link
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=toss+off&gwp=13


chug = toss off = also toss down. Consume quickly, especially a drink in one draft. For example, He tossed off the beer and headed for the door, or She tossed down one glass after another.

Regards,

V.

[Ouisch]

Hi teachers,

There is the original interpretation of the term in question namely “drink the beer all at one time without putting the glass down”. This information is from a perfect reliable source.

Yes. "Chugging" a drink, whether it be beer or soda pop, means to finish whatever is left in your glass in one fell swoop, or one long swallow.

One example: You're out with friends and it's late. You still have half a bottle of beer left, but everyone else is finished with their drinks and anxious to go home. Someone at your table might urge you to "Please just chug the rest of that so we can pay our check and get out of here."

On the other hand, as mentioned upthread, "chug-a-lug" is a common "game" practiced among college friends, frat boys, or even drunken sports fans watching a game on TV. Depending upon the rules, whenever it's a participant's turn to empty his glass, everyone will chant "chug-a-lug, chug-a-lug" as he tilts his head back and drinks the contents all at one time.

[bhaisahab]

Yes. "Chugging" a drink, whether it be beer or soda pop, means to finish whatever is left in your glass in one fell swoop, or one long swallow.

One example: You're out with friends and it's late. You still have half a bottle of beer left, but everyone else is finished with their drinks and anxious to go home. Someone at your table might urge you to "Please just chug the rest of that so we can pay our check and get out of here."

On the other hand, as mentioned upthread, "chug-a-lug" is a common "game" practiced among college friends, frat boys, or even drunken sports fans watching a game on TV. Depending upon the rules, whenever it's a participant's turn to empty his glass, everyone will chant "chug-a-lug, chug-a-lug" as he tilts his head back and drinks the contents all at one time.

OK, so it's an AmE thing.

[Searching for language]

OK, so it's an AmE thing.

Also a Canadian thing, but then, there's a Canadian expression "When the US gets a cold, Canada starts to sneeze."