wet one's beak
English edit
Etymology edit
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation edit
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb edit
wet one's beak (third-person singular simple present wets one's beak, present participle wetting one's beak, simple past and past participle wet one's beak or wetted one's beak)
- (idiomatic) To drink a beverage.
- 1876, “The Charlemagne Romances: Part 4—Pulci,”, in The Monthly Packet of Evening Readings, volume 22, page 467:
- Rinaldo . . . is represented as a gluttonous feeder, and rather disposed to quarrel over his meat; liking also to ‘wet his beak’ in generous liquor.
- 2011, K'wan Foye, Eviction Notice: A Hood Rat Novel, →ISBN, page 248:
- “Yo, it's gonna be a few minutes before the acts go on so let's hit the VIP and wet our beaks a li'l bit,” Gotti screamed in Tone's ear over the music.
- (idiomatic, gangster slang) To take one's share from the financial proceeds of illicit activity.
- 1996, Mario Puzo, The Last Don (2004 Random House edition), →ISBN, p. 5 (Google preview):
- "Giorgio," the Don said, ". . . our Family will now serve only as financial advisors to all the other Families. . . . [W]e must protect everyone's money, for which they will let us wet our beaks."
- 2009 August 30, William K. Rashbaum, “Concern Is High That the Mob May Seek a Cut of the Stimulus Pie”, in New York Times, retrieved 15 August 2013:
- [I]nvestigators who track organized crime believe that some members have geared up to take advantage of the swift and enormous cash influx . . . looking, as the old Sicilian expression goes, to wet their beaks.
- 1996, Mario Puzo, The Last Don (2004 Random House edition), →ISBN, p. 5 (Google preview):
Synonyms edit
- (drink a beverage): wet one's whistle
- (take one's share from illicit financial activity): get a piece of the pie, get a piece of the action