moisten your chaffer
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A slang phrase equivalent to "take something to drink." Also "moisten your clay," originally applied to smokers, now general, and supposed to have reference to the human clay.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “moisten your chaffer” mean?
A slang phrase equivalent to "take something to drink." Also "moisten your clay," originally applied to smokers, now general, and supposed to have reference to the human clay.
Is “moisten your chaffer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.