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pot-valiant

adjective · 17th century

Courage on loan, at interest.

Brave only because of drink.

In the wild

“Pot-valiant and slurring, he challenged the whole bar.”

Origin

17th century; from pot + valiant.

Sources·Oxford English Dictionary/Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811)

More from Drink & drunkenness

  • thirst-sickAfflicted by an intense, debilitating craving for water to the point of physical illness.
  • dry-throatedDescribing someone whose speech or ease is hindered by an extreme lack of hydration.
  • drouthyA term for being excessively thirsty, often used to describe one in dire need of a drink.

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Where the words come from

Entries are researched against the Historical Thesaurus of English, the Oxford English Dictionary, Johnson's Dictionary (1755), Grose's Vulgar Tongue and Wright's English Dialect Dictionary. Every entry links to its sources.

Made for the etymologically curious.