English

edit
 
Colorful drinks with harlequin swizzle sticks
 
Touillettes, or swizzle sticks intended for coffee

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

1859, from swizzle (alcoholic drink, noun).[1]

Noun

edit

swizzle stick (plural swizzle sticks)

  1. A small utensil, often disposable, used to mix or stir drinks, commonly iced tea or cocktails.
    The rum-based mixed drink came with a swizzle stick shaped like a pirate's sword.
    • 1897, Edward Spencer, Cakes & Ale[1]:
      Churn up the mixture with a swizzle-stick, which can be easily made with the assistance of a short length of cane (the ordinary school-treat brand) a piece of cork, a bit of string, and a pocket knife.
    • 1975, “Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)”, in Nighthawks at the Diner, performed by Tom Waits:
      And as a neon swizzle stick is stirring up the sultry night air
    • 2006, Tsitsi Dangarembga, The Book of Not, Faber & Faber Limited (2021), page 289:
      Ting, ting, ting! Tracey hit her swizzle stick against her glass.

Derived terms

edit

Translations

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “swizzle”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.