liquor

Related to liquor: liquor license

can't hold (one's) drink

Has a low tolerance for alcohol; becomes drunk after consuming only a small amount of alcohol. A: "Wow, how much did those two have to drink?" B: "Hardly anything—they just can't hold their drink."
See also: drink, hold

hard liquor

Any distilled alcoholic beverage, such as whiskey, vodka, gin, etc. "Hard" here is a reference to the higher percentage of alcohol in comparison to wine or beer. Primarily heard in US, Canada. I've learned to steer clear of hard liquor if I want to avoid a hangover the next day!
See also: hard, liquor

hold (one's) liquor

To be able to consume alcohol without becoming noticeably intoxicated or exhibiting other negative effects, such as becoming ill or unconscious. To have a high tolerance for alcohol. I'm sorry for acting like such a fool at the party—I don't even remember what happened. I guess I just can't hold my liquor. A: "Wow, Jennifer has had five cocktails and still seems totally sober." B: "Oh yeah, that girl can hold her liquor."
See also: hold, liquor

liquor store

slang A store where one can buy alcohol for consumption elsewhere. Often a specialty store that primarily sells wine and spirits. Hey, can you stop at the liquor store and pick up some wine on your way home?
See also: liquor, store

liquor up

1. To consume alcohol, especially with the aim of getting drunk. We started liquoring up around 2 PM, so by dinner time we were all thoroughly hammered. I kind of regret getting liquored up so often when I was in college—I had fun at the time, but I can barely remember it now.
2. To urge, encourage, compel, or facilitate someone to consume alcohol or become drunk. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "liquor" and "up." I hadn't intended to liquor us all up over dinner, but I had the wine there and thought I might as well open it all. I could tell he was trying to liquor me up to make me more amenable to the idea of spending the night with him.
See also: liquor, up

not hold (one's) liquor

To be easily and negatively affected by alcohol, especially becoming ill or unconscious. I'm sorry for acting like such a fool at the party—I don't even remember what happened. I guess I just can't hold my liquor. A: "Wow, Jennifer has had five cocktails and still seems totally sober." B: "No one ever said she couldn't hold her liquor."
See also: hold, liquor, not
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hold one's liquor

Fig. to be able to drink alcohol in quantity without ill effects. Old Jed can sure hold his liquor—and a lot of it, too. I asked him to leave because he can't hold his liquor.
See also: hold, liquor

liquor someone up

to get someone tipsy or drunk. He liquored her up and tried to take her home with him. They liquored up the out-of-town visitors.
See also: liquor, up

liquor up

to drink an alcoholic beverage, especially to excess. Sam sat around all evening liquoring up. They seem to liquor up almost every night of the week.
See also: liquor, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hard liquor

Distilled alcoholic beverages, such as gin or whiskey. For example, We're serving wine and beer but no hard liquor. The hard here refers to their high alcoholic content, which is also true for hard cider, although the latter is not distilled but has simply fermented.
See also: hard, liquor
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

liquor up

v.
1. To cause or encourage someone to consume alcohol: They liquored me up and asked me where I hid the money. My boss is at a bar liquoring up some potential investors.
2. To become drunk. Used in the passive: I got liquored up on whiskey and started a fight.
3. To consume alcoholic beverages steadily: They've been liquoring up in the bar all day.
See also: liquor, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

hard liquor

n. potent liquor such as whiskey, gin, rum, etc. Stay off of hard liquor until your stomach feels better.
See also: hard, liquor

hold one’s liquor

tv. to be able to drink alcohol in quantity without ill effects. Old Jed can sure hold his liquor—and a lot of it, too.
See also: hold, liquor
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • can't hold (one's) drink
  • lush up
  • drunk as a fiddler
  • fiddler
  • smash the teapot
  • groggery
  • under the influence of alcohol
  • alcohol
  • have an alcohol problem
  • boozehound
References in periodicals archive
A relic of Prohibition is safe for now - for liquor, at least.
OLCC keeps its monopoly
"I can compete with Wal-Mart liquor, but I can't compete with Wal-Mart and Sam's together."
Liquor at Sam's worries competitors
Chief Director of the National Liquor Authority at the dti, Prea Ramdhuny, said the operation was aimed at reducing the socio-economic and other factors of alcohol abuse to curb the impact of contact crimes.
Illegal liquor traders nabbed in Limpopo
There are 23 institutions which import liquor to this country.
Sri Lanka imposes ban on selling imported liquor without foolproof sticker
Wholesale Liquor and Distributor Liquor Licences authorise the sale of liquor between 8am and 5pm on Monday to Saturday and 8am and 1pm on public holidays and will not be open on Sundays.
Trade ministry releases liquor trading times
The police arrested the driver, and based on his testimony, the police recovered 15 cartons of liquor from the house of a smuggler.
Bihar: Bootleggers use ambulance to smuggle liquor
'Liquor should only be sold in designated premises and not in sundry stores,' he said.
Group wants govt to ban liquor sold for less than RM50
ASI Abdur Rehman recovered 1,000 local liquor and accused run away from the crime scene.
2248 bottles of liquor recovered, two arrested
The petitioner lamented that the excise department has failed to take any action in this regard and pleaded with the court to order it to stop the illegal sale of liquor.
Petition in LHC seeks ban on sale of liquor
"It is not possible to imagine that such a big business of illegal liquor is operated in Uttarakhand and the government of Uttar Pradesh.
Hooch tragedy: Priyanka Gandhi urges UP, U'khand govt to provide jobs for kin of deceased
TOBA TEK SINGH -- The police raided on Wednesday Christians' Mubarkabad Colony on Shorkot Road to stop the consumption of liquor by the Christian community on Easter.
Police confiscate liquor
For decades, liquor stores in urban areas like Eugene have operated as standalone businesses, confined to strip malls and shopping centers.
A store in a store
ARMY canteens, which sell liquor exclusively to defence personnel in the country, seems to have fallen on the wrong side of the Supreme court's judgment banning sale of liquor in the 500 metre radius of highways, as three of them in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab had to be closed after excise officials raised objections over sale of booze there.
3 ARMY CANTEENS CLOSED AFTER BAN