cup-shot

English

Etymology

England, late 15th century–early 19th century. From cup (“drinking vessel”) +‎ shot (“discharged, cleared”).

Adjective

cup-shot (comparative more cup-shot, superlative most cup-shot)

1. (obsolete) Intoxicated; drunk.
   • 1639, Thomas Fuller, The Historie of the Holy Warre, 4th edition, book 3, chapter 16, Cambridge: Printed by Thomas Buck, published 1651, page 135:

     At this time the ſpring-tide of their mirth ſo drowned their ſouls; that the Turks coming in upon them, cut every one of their throats, to the number of twentie^[sic] thouſand: and quickly they were ſtabbed with the ſword that were cup-ſhot before. A day which the Dutch may well write in their Kalendars^[sic] in red letters died with their own bloud;^[sic] when their camp was their ſhambles, the Turks their butchers, and themſelves the Martinmaſſe-beeves: from which the beaſtly drunkards differ but a little.

   • 1648, Robert Herrick, “The Vision”, in Hesperides‎^[1]:

     A young Enchantresse close by him did stand / Tapping his plump thighes with a mirtle wand: / She smil'd; he kist; and kissing, cull'd her too; / And being cup-shot, more he co'd not doe.

   • 2014, Vanessa Kelly, chapter 4, in Tall, Dark and Royal (The Renegade Royals), Zebra Books, →ISBN, page 41:

     Dominic braced a hand on the mantel and stared down at the fire, trying to ignore the generous brandy Cates had poured out for him. As much as he'd like to get royally drunk, he wouldn't give in to temptation. Not until the threat to Chloe and Jane had passed, at any rate. Besides, getting cup-shot would hardly fix his problems with the lovely Mrs. Piper.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:drunk

Related terms

• cup-shotten

References

• Wilson, John Dover (1949) Life in Shakespeare's England, 8th reprint edition, Cambridge at the University Press, published 1911
• Rider, John, Holy-Oke, Francis (1640) Riders Dictionarie, Corrected and Augmented with the Addition of Many Hundred Words (etc.), page CUP-CUS