cold drink money
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
a small bribe
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
In South Africa such requests are so common that bribes for driving offences are known as “cold drink money”.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “cold drink money” mean?
a small bribe
Is “cold drink money” formal or informal?
cold drink money is generally slang.