Why is Called “Teetotal”? Meaning and Dry History Explained

Teetotalers in the 19th century who belonged to temperance societies typically signed a pledge promising to abstain from alcohol. An alternate explanation is that teetotal is simply a reduplication of the ‘T’ in total (T-total). In this context, the word is still used, predominantly in the southern United States. If not, you might be faced with the decision about whether to join the list of teetotalers for your own benefit. Whether in a public setting, such as a restaurant or party, or spending an evening at home, teetotalers choose to refrain from drinking alcohol.

• Teetotaler organizations usually demand that their members not produce or promote alcoholic beverages as part of their commitment.
• Whether in a public setting, such as a restaurant or party, or spending an evening at home, teetotalers choose to refrain from drinking alcohol.
• The temperance movement is a social effort that opposes the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• In Dublin, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart (Pioneers) was founded in 1898 by another priest, James Cullen.
• Teetotalism involves the commitment to abstain from alcohol and similar substances, often promoted for health, moral, or social reasons.
• This means they’ve waved goodbye to the likes of beer, wine, and spirits in favor of more tepid beverages, like water, fruit juice, or herbal tea.
• At restaurants, teetotalers either abstain from drinking or only drink non-alcoholic beverages.

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

By contrast, Methodist Churches use “pure, unfermented juices of the grape” in their tradition of the Eucharist. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

• Whether in a public setting, such as a restaurant or party, or spending an evening at home, teetotalers choose to refrain from drinking alcohol.
• In Dublin, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart (Pioneers) was founded in 1898 by another priest, James Cullen.
• Most teetotaler organizations also demand from their members that they do not promote or produce alcoholic intoxicants.
• The basis of AA was the Twelve Steps program, which outlines the group’s principles and methods for recovery.
• They can include health and medical concerns, family or social influences, philosophical or political ideologies, past alcoholism, and religious beliefs.
• The temperance movement is a social effort that opposes the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Teetotaller religions

By this time, membership in temperance societies had reached about 1.5 million in the United States. It was also estimated that about a quarter of a million individuals were practicing total abstinence. When at drinking establishments, teetotallers tend to consume non-alcoholic beverages such as water, juice, tea, coffee, non-alcoholic soft drinks, virgin drinks, mocktails, and alcohol-free beer.

What Do Teetotalers Drink?

It’s a lifestyle choice that requires an iron will, a love for clear-headed mornings, and the ability to withstand endless mockery from friends who don’t understand the appeal of a party without a single drop of booze. The decision to abstain from alcohol provides benefits for the people who choose to do so. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the temperance movement gained recognition in numerous countries. Certain people stop drinking because they want to improve their physical and mental health. In Dublin, the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart (Pioneers) was founded in 1898 by another priest, James Cullen. This section includes scientific research in the field of healthcare, often involving traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Holistic health.

One of the five precepts of Buddhism is remaining free of intoxicating substances that disturb the peace and self-control of the mind. It’s formulated as a training rule assumed voluntarily rather than a commandment. According to historian Daniel Walker Howe, the word came from Lyman Beecher, an American preacher and temperance advocate.

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A reinterpretation of temperance total may have contributed to its linguistic origin and development. Nephalism, temperance, abstinence and restraint are acceptable synonyms for teetotalism. For those of us who enjoy an alcoholic beverage, it’s best to keep in mind that most activities in moderation aren’t harmful. “We agree to abstain from all liquors of an intoxicating quality whether ale, port, wine, or ardent spirits, except as medicine.

They recruited other people in their community, even non-alcoholics, and held regular meetings in which they shared their experiences with drinking and sobriety. Over time, the Washingtonians attracted as many as 600,000 members, with chapters throughout the United States. Notably, they welcomed many groups that other temperance societies excluded, including Roman Catholics and Black Americans.

People generally choose teetotalism for religious, health, family, or societal reasons, or from a combination thereof. This does not necessarily mean that they cannot participate in social drinking; for instance, for the typical teetotaller, soft drinks are an easily obtainable substitute at most drinking establishments. A teetotaler is a person who abstains from consuming alcohol in all its devilishly delightful forms.

Informal annual events such as “Dry January” or “Sober October” also encourage participants to abstain from alcohol and promote their abstinence on social media. His wife acquired the nickname “Lemonade Lucy” because of her practice of serving guests non-alcoholic beverages while entertaining in the White House. A more contemporary example of this is the current Vice President of the United States Joe Biden who abstains from alcohol, citing his own family’s history of alcoholism. Participants in the movement criticize alcohol intoxication and promote the benefits of teetotalism. The movement’s leaders emphasize alcohol’s impacts on family life, health, and people’s personalities. Numerous Christian denominations forbid the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

While you’re at it, raise another glass in honor of Richard Turner, whose stutter led to the creation of a term that will forever define those who choose to abstain from the devil’s nectar. Many Christian groups, including Methodists and Quakers, have define teetotalism traditionally supported the temperance movement and prohibition. Richard Turner, a member of the Preston Temperance Society, received credit for using the slang word “teetotally.” He used it to describe abstinence from all existing alcoholic drinks.

The word could also be confused as a fusion of the words tea, a common non-alcoholic beverage, and total, albeit with the spelling changed slightly (Tea-total) — but this is not widely believed. “Khamr” is the word for all intoxicants that Islam prohibits, and Hinduism and Sikhism also require abstinence from alcohol. Teetotaler organizations usually demand that their members not produce or promote alcoholic beverages as part of their commitment. An American source first recorded the word “teetotal” in a general sense in 1832.

He argued that the only true path to a life of wild excitement was total abstinence from alcohol. Contemporary and colloquial usage has somewhat expanded teetotalism to include strict abstinence from most “recreational” intoxicants (legal and illegal). Most teetotaler organizations also demand from their members that they do not promote or produce alcoholic intoxicants. The temperance movement is a social effort that opposes the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Studies in the late 2010s indicated a decline in youth drinking in Western countries, with more than one-fourth of English youth in their mid-teens to mid-20s and nearly three-tenths of college-age Americans claiming total abstinence.