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You are here: Home / Language / Why Is a Binge Drinking Spree Called a “Bender” and Where Did the Term Come From?

Why Is a Binge Drinking Spree Called a “Bender” and Where Did the Term Come From?

February 7, 2020 by Karen Hill

A “bender” is a prolonged, irresponsible, and dangerous bout of drinking and took its name from the patrons of London, England, alehouses during the 1850s.

To promote drinking, it was common for a tavern to offer patrons all they could drink for a tuppence a day, so sixpence was good for three days.

The sixpence coin, which was worth about a quarter, was nicknamed a “bender” because if it wasn’t phony it could be easily bent.

Since this bendable coin guaranteed three days of libation, the subsequent binge became known as a “bender.”

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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