teetotal
Americanadjective
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of or relating to, advocating, or pledged to total abstinence from intoxicating drink.
-
Informal. absolute; complete.
verb (used without object)
adjective
-
of, relating to, or practising abstinence from alcoholic drink
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dialect complete
Other Word Forms
- teetotalism noun
- teetotaller noun
- teetotally adverb
Etymology
Origin of teetotal
Reduplicated variant of total, coined by R. Turner, of Preston, England, in 1833, in a speech advocating total abstinence from alcoholic drinks
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Zero-alcohol beers helped drive sales last year, the company said, as the teetotal portfolio, led by Corona Cero, surged 34% on year.
But he says it sometimes seems difficult for people to accept he's teetotal.
From BBC
He is teetotal and a practising Muslim who has spoken openly about his observance of Ramadan.
From BBC
Whether teetotaling, temperance or virgin, they’re just drinks, after all — though I suppose their intricacy beyond fresh-squeezed juice demands we label them something nobler.
From Salon
"For me it was important that once I retired from international netball I didn't just go teetotal and stop completely. I really wanted that transition out," Mentor told BBC Sport.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
