hit the bottle

hit the bottle

To drink alcohol, especially to excess. All this stress at work right now is enough to make me hit the bottle.
See also: bottle, hit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hit the bottle

 and hit the booze
Fig. Inf. to go on a drinking bout; to get drunk. Jed's hitting the bottle again. He's been hitting the booze for a week now.
See also: bottle, hit
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hit the bottle

Also, hit the booze or sauce . Drink alcoholic beverages, especially a great deal, as in I don't know if it will be a problem, but he hits the bottle every weekend, or She hardly ever hits the booze, but when she does, watch out, or It doesn't show in her work, but she hits the sauce every night. These slangy expressions date from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
See also: bottle, hit
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

hit the bottle

INFORMAL
If someone hits the bottle, they drink too much alcohol. One newspaper even said I'd started hitting the bottle. Complete rubbish. These teenagers hit the bottle to rebel.
See also: bottle, hit
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hit (or be on) the bottle

start to drink alcohol heavily, especially in an attempt to escape from one's problems. informal
See also: bottle, hit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hit the ˈbottle

(informal) regularly drink too much: She managed to resist alcohol for a year, then hit the bottle again when her husband died. He’s really hitting the bottle at the moment.
See also: bottle, hit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

hit the bottle

and hit the booze
tv. to go on a drinking bout; to get drunk. She got caught hitting the bottle in the office. He’s been hitting the booze for a week now.
See also: bottle, hit
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • on the bottle
  • the genie is out of the bottle
  • crack a bottle
  • hit the
  • bottle up
  • crack a bottle open
  • crack open a bottle
  • crack open a/the bottle
  • stubbie
  • stubby
References in periodicals archive
Get them out of your head and onto this notepad, PS10, kikki-k.com 3 HIT THE BOTTLE Warm the bed with this Saffy B 'Dreamer' hot water bottle, PS5, Primark 4 COSY TOES Could there be anything more snuggly than a pair of cashmere bed socks?
sleep easy
English ace Pepperell (below) hit the bottle in frustration after his third round 71.
Pepperell fired by Eddie brew
"I am pretty good but sometimes I hit the bottle. Everything is way worse the next morning.
Did Cranberries Singer Dolores O'Riordan Die Of Suicide?
THE A&E departments in Scottish hospitals are under extreme pressure, especially at weekends, when the irresponsible partying crowd hit the bottle then expect the NHS to treat them.
A tankless job; Letters.
Meanwhile, Stacey is still struggling to pay the bills, and elsewhere, Louise worries Phil has hit the bottle.
SOAP watch
Continue reading "On the Latest Episode of 'Broad City,' Abbi and Ilana Hit the Club, Hit the Bottle, and Tap That @$$" at...
On the Latest Episode of 'Broad City,' Abbi and Ilana Hit the Club, Hit the Bottle, and Tap That @$$
However, when it becomes clear that Phil's hit the bottle again, Sharon has a big decision to make.
Christmas is coming EASTENDERS
The pair hit the shops before Carla goes home to hit the bottle.
WE LOVE SOAPS
Elsewhere, Nick persuades vulnerable Peter to hit the bottle in the hope Leanne will leave him.
CORONATION STREET
Children who hit the bottle longer risk dental issues like tooth decay and developing an overbite.
Suri Cruise, 4, continues to drink from baby bottle
Surely things are not so bad that people can see no other answer but to hit the bottle until the lights go out?
Letter: Drinking fears
Chocolate has hit the bottle. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has introduced Pure Chocolate Extract, which joins such flavors as Pure Orange, Pure Lemon and Pure Almond.
The flavor of chocolate
Hit the bottle and hit the floor to pogo yourself silly ...
Notes from the underground
Elsewhere Zoe caught pneumonia, Phil hit the bottle (after hitting his very flimsy-looking fridge, and an even flimsier-looking Mark Fowler), Billy was lonely and Mel told Steve she wanted a divorce.
Ian Hyland's TV week: Cracker of a romance for old Jim