- Home
- Idioms
- sober
sober
a sobering thought
A thought or idea which is dispiriting, depressing, or traumatic. It's a sobering thought when you consider how many people go without clean water every day.
wanton kittens make sober cats
One who behaves wildly in youth often shows more restraint in adulthood. I wouldn't worry too much about your son's interest in partying—wanton kittens make sober cats most of the time.
be (as) sober as a judge
1. To be stoic and reserved, perhaps even somber. Anita has been sober as a judge ever since she heard of Marshall's death.
2. To be calm and rational. He's usually as sober as a judge, so I'm confident that he'll make a sound decision.
3. To be not at all intoxicated. I haven't been drinking at all, I swear! I'm sober as a judge!
*sober as a judge
1. Cliché very formal, somber, or stuffy. (*Also: as ~.) You certainly look gloomy, Bill. You're sober as a judge. Tom's as sober as a judge. I think he's angry.
2. Cliché not drunk; alert and completely sober. (*Also: as ~.) John's drunk? No, he's as sober as a judge. You should be sober as a judge when you drive a car.
sober someone up
1. Lit. to take actions that will cause a drunken person to become sober. some coffee ought to sober him up. He tried to sober himself up because he had to drive home. They tried to sober up the guys who had been out all night.
2. Fig. to cause someone to face reality. The harsh reality of what had happened sobered him up immediately. The arrival of the police sobered up all the revelers.
sober up
to recover from alcohol or drug intoxication. Barlowe had one hour to sober up and get to the station. It took him a while to sober up.
stone(–cold) sober
and cold soberabsolutely sober. I am stone-cold sober, or I will be by morning anyway. I found the secret to waking up cold sober. Don't drink.
be as sober as a judge
to not be at all drunk It's awful when everyone else around you has been drinking and you're as sober as a judge.
sober as a judge
Not at all intoxicated, quite clear-headed, as in Even after three drinks he was sober as a judge. Why judges should be equated with sobriety is not known, but the simile was first recorded in 1694.
sober up
v.1. To have one's feeling of intoxication subside: I waited until I had sobered up and then drove home.
2. To cause someone's feeling of intoxication to subside: The jailer grabbed a pail of water and a cup of coffee to sober up the drunk. That nap really sobered me up, but I still have a hangover.
3. To overcome an alcohol or drug addiction: It wasn't until I had sobered up that I was able hold a steady job.
4. To become serious, grave, or solemn: Everyone sobered up and felt ashamed when they heard the bad news.
5. To make someone or something serious, grave, or solemn: The news of the disaster sobered them up. The accident sobered up the workers, reminding them how dangerous their job was.
(as) sober as a judge
mod. as sober (free from alcohol) as it is possible to be. Kelly—who was starched as could be—claimed to be sober as a judge.
sober as a judge
verbcold sober
mod. sober; completely sober. (see also
sold cober.)
He had a fine head on and wanted more than anything to be cold sober and alert. sober up
in. to recover from alcohol or drug intoxication. Marlowe had one hour to sober up and get to the station.
stone (cold) sober
mod. absolutely sober. I am stone cold sober, or I will be by morning anyway.
stone sober
verb