What it means
That sudden burst of bravery you get after a drink or two, usually right before you do something daft like chat someone up, grab the mic, or start an argument you cannot win. The 'Dutch' bit is old British banter from wartime stereotypes about the Dutch, not exactly flattering. It is confidence in a glass, with the hangover invoice due later.
Usage examples
"Had a swift pint of Dutch courage, strutted over to chat her up, then bottled it, spilled my drink, and pretended I was looking for the loo."
"He had a quick whisky for a bit of Dutch courage before the speech."
"It took some Dutch courage before she dared to sing karaoke."
"Needed a splash of Dutch courage before knocking on his boss's door to ask for Friday off after absolutely vanishing on Monday."
"She got a bit of Dutch courage in her, marched up to the DJ booth, requested her tune, then forgot the name of it halfway through."
Where it comes from
It’s been around since the 17th century, born out of the Anglo Dutch wars when English speakers were flinging "Dutch" onto phrases as a cheap insult. In that setup, Dutch courage meant bravery pumped up by alcohol, not the proper sober kind. Old slur baked into a pub phrase, basically.
Other ways to say it
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