tipsy

/ˈtɪpsi/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈɪpsi] /ˈtɪpsi/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈɪpsi] /ˈtip-sē How to pronounce tipsy (audio)/ (ame, mw)

tipsy — adjective

  • tipsypositive
  • tipsiercomparative
  • tipsiestsuperlative

1. feeling the mild effects of having drunk some alcohol — your movements are a lit

1.形容詞B1
釋義

feeling the mild effects of having drunk some alcohol — your movements are a little unsteady, you feel relaxed and cheerful, but you are not fully drunk.

例句

After two glasses of champagne, Lina felt pleasantly tipsy and started laughing at everything.

collocation: pleasantly tipsy

Carlos looked tipsy walking in, his tie undone and a silly grin on his face.

pattern: look + tipsy

同義詞
  • merry

    British informal; suggests cheerful, upbeat drunkenness

  • buzzed

    North American slang; similar mild effect

  • squiffy

    British humorous; very light tipsiness

反義詞
  • sober

    not affected by alcohol at all

  • drunk

    far stronger, implies significant intoxication

文法句型

feel/look/get + tipsy

用法筆記

Tipsy is milder than 'drunk' and carries a light, often amused tone. It is not used in medical or formal contexts. This sense is the far more common one.

常見錯誤

❌I was very tipsy after one beer.
✅I felt a little tipsy after one beer.
💡tipsy implies a mild state; 'very tipsy' sounds unnatural because the word already means 'slightly drunk.'
❌The doctor diagnosed him as tipsy.
✅The doctor said he had been drinking.
💡tipsy is too informal for clinical writing.

2. (of a physical object) likely to lean, wobble, or fall over because it is not pr

2.形容詞B2
釋義

(of a physical object) likely to lean, wobble, or fall over because it is not properly balanced or is placed on an uneven surface.

例句

Sarah stacked the plates too high, and the whole pile looked tipsy.

predicative use: looked tipsy

Tanaka tried to fix the tipsy bookshelf by sliding a folded napkin under one corner.

attributive use: tipsy bookshelf

同義詞
  • wobbly

    more common and neutral; no connection to alcohol

  • unstable

    more formal; broader meaning

  • rickety

    suggests something old or poorly built

反義詞

文法句型

look/seem + tipsy

a + tipsy + noun

用法筆記

This sense is much rarer than sense 1 and feels metaphorical — the object is described as 'tipsy' because it sways like a person who has had a drink. Not used for people.