One Over The Eight

Posted by ESC on January 26, 2000

In Reply to: One Over The Eight posted by LM Ross on January 26, 2000

: I understand that this means to be intoxicated. I was wondering if anyone knew the meaning, origin of this phrase.

: Thank you!!

I've heard of "one toke over the line," but never heard of this expression:

"one over the eight. Heard more in England than in the U.S., this expression means to be drunk. It derives from the old superstition that one always becomes drunk after the eighth drink and not before." From the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997).

And all this time I've been sticking to the one drink per hour rule. Excuse me, I have some catching up to do.