wet quaker
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
One of that sect who has no objection to the spirit derived from wine.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A man who pretends to be religious, and is a dram-drinker on the sly.
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 “wet quaker” mean?
One of that sect who has no objection to the spirit derived from wine.
Is “wet quaker” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.