aan de drank

Prepositional phrase

 * 1) addicted to alcohol, abusing alcohol

Usage notes

 * lit. 'engaging in drinking', a meaning which is also sometimes encountered. Thus, depending on context, a phrase like ze ging al vroeg aan de drank ("she started drinking early") could refer both to an early onset of alcoholism or, more innocently, to someone having an alcoholic beverage earlier during the day than is commonplace without connotations of substance abuse.