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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 2005 (SND, online supplement).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

REFRESHMENT, n. Specif. an alcoholic drink.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 58:
refreshment The most popular euphemism for an alcoholic drink is a wee refreshment: 'It's not unknown for Big George to take a wee refreshment of a Saturday night.'m.Sc. 1985 Janette Walkinshaw in Julie Milton Original Prints 58:
Of course it was in his interests that I was deported but I am not saying it was him told the Arabs I had a few bottles on me. How they expect a man to work in that heat without a refreshment beats me.m.Sc. 1987 Dave Brown and Ian Mitchell Mountain Days and Bothy Nights (1992) 89:
As his name suggests, Malky [Malky the alky] was fond of a wee refreshment.Edb. 1992:
Yer grandad likes a wee refreshment on Saturday efternuin.Sc. 1994 Daily Record 22 Dec 26:
And when I finally settle down on the 25th for a wee refreshment only to discover they've drunk the last bottle without me, too right I need something like Santa to sustain me.Dmf. 1997 Nell Thomson Spit the First Sook 22:
He usually stopped for a refreshment at the Craigdarroch Arms, and he would shout 'Here lass, haud this horse tae a get a pint'.Gsw. 1998 Alan Spence Way to Go (1999) 3:
My father must have had a drink or two in the afternoon. Or three. A tipple. A snifter. A dram. A wee refreshment.