General
spifflicated
What does spifflicated mean?
By extension, anything dazed, scattered, or knocked senseless, even without liquor involved.
"That left hook left him spifflicated for a good ten seconds."
Origin
Documented in 1920s American slang; H.L. Mencken in The American Language catalogues 'spifflicated' among the era's vast roster of drunk-synonyms spawned by Prohibition. The root 'spiflicate' (to confound or destroy) is older British slang dating to the 18th century.
Frequently asked questions
What does spifflicated mean?
It means very drunk. It was one of the most popular 1920s euphemisms for intoxication.
Why did the 1920s have so many words for drunk?
Prohibition (1920-1933) made drinking illegal and faintly comic, so Americans coined dozens of silly synonyms like zozzled, ossified and spifflicated to talk around it.
Is spifflicated related to an older word?
Yes. 'Spiflicate', meaning to confound or destroy, is 18th-century British slang; the 1920s drunk sense is a humorous extension.
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