at a draught

English

Alternative forms

• at a draft

Prepositional phrase

at a draught

1. (idiomatic, dated) In a single swallow.
   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Gives Some Account of Himself and Family, His First Inducements to Travel. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 13:

     I then made another ſign that I wanted Drink. They found by my eating, that a ſmall Quantity would not ſuffice me, and being a moſt ingenious People, they flung up with great dexterity one of their largeſt Hogſheads, then rolled it towards my Hand, and beat out the top; I drank it off at a Draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a pint, and taſted like a ſmall Wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious.

   • 1857, [W. W. Wright], Doré by a Stroller in Europe, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, page 231:

     I emptied the glass at a draft, and another, and another. I felt disgusted with the world, and took another—to think that men will be so bamboozled—one more—when they can get the real thing, right on the spot, too—a sip—and no false bottom in the bot tle—madame's good health—wonder if she's not the daughter of the prince—sip, sip, sip—amazing large bottles, but the road long—vita brevis est—positively no more, Madame Metternich!

   • 1895 May 7, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “The Time Traveler Returns”, in The Time Machine: An Invention, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC, page 36:

     The Time Traveler did not seem to hear. "Don't let me disturb you," he said, with a certain faltering articulation. "I'm all right." He stopped, held out his glass for more, and took it off at a draught.

   • 2000, Max Brand [pseudonym; Frederick Schiller Faust], The Bright Face of Danger: A James Geraldi Trio, Unity, M.E.: Five Star, →ISBN, page 154:

     Lord Winchelmere said quietly: "We've been just striking a bargain, Geraldi, and I've given Mary Ingall the emerald . . . as duly agreed." Deliberately he reached down for the cup of coffee and drained it at a draft.