Pissed (adjective / British & US slang)
(Also heard as: Proper pissed, Pissed off, Blind pissed, Pissed up)
Definition:
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(UK / Aus / NZ) Drunk, smashed, or full of booze.
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(US / UK) Extremely annoyed, angry, or irritated (usually “pissed off” in Britain).
Pronunciation: /pɪst/
Where It Comes From: Comes from the vulgar term for urine, dating back centuries in English vulgar slang. In Britain and the Commonwealth, downing pints until your bladder was full led naturally to using “pissed” as shorthand for being paralytic or heavily intoxicated by the early 20th century. Over in the States, it took a slightly different path around the Second World War, morphing into a term for seeing red and losing your temper.
How People Actually Use It: One of the most common words in British pub culture, but a classic trap when talking to Americans. In the UK, saying “I got totally pissed last night” means you had ten pints and couldn’t walk straight. In the US, it sounds like you spent the evening in a furious rage. Brits usually stick “off” on the end when they mean angry (“I’m proper pissed off with this queue”).
Examples in the Wild:
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“He had four double gins before nine o’clock and was completely pissed.”
Translation: He drank far too quickly and became heavily intoxicated.
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“Don’t talk to the gaffer right now, he’s proper pissed off about the lost delivery.”
Translation: Leave the manager alone because he is in a terrible mood.
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“We ended up wandering down the curry mile looking for chips, absolutely pissed.”
Translation: We were very drunk trying to find late-night food.
Similar Slang:
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Meaning drunk: Smashed, Hammered, Steaming, Bladdered, Sloshed, Trolleyed, Rat-arsed
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Meaning angry: Fuming, Raging, Livid, Ticked off, Riled up
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