Browse all

tie one on

C1 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words

To drink too much alcohol and get very drunk.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic informal

To drink alcohol to the point of intoxication; to have a heavy drinking session.

"After the championship win, the whole team went out and really tied one on."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Primarily American English, with a humorous or self-deprecating tone. The origin is uncertain but possibly refers to tying on an apron (drinking heavily at a bar). Used more by older speakers; younger speakers more likely say 'get hammered', 'get wasted', etc. Often used in past tense: 'He really tied one on last night.'

Commonly used with

night bar celebration party weekend occasion

Forms

Base
tie one on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ties one on
he/she/it
Past simple
tied one on
yesterday
Past participle
tied one on
have + pp
-ing form
tiing one on
continuous

Understand "tie one on" better

Try:

Real video examples

Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.

Synonyms

get drunk get hammered go on a bender drink heavily get plastered overindulge

Want to master this phrasal verb?

Practice "tie one on" on Looplines