What it means
In Northern English, if someone’s mortal, they’re absolutely smashed, not just a bit tipsy. We’re talking slurring, staggering, making daft choices, then waking up with half the night missing. You’ll often hear it as mortal drunk too. It’s a proper blunt, local way to say somebody’s gone fully over the edge on the drink.
Usage examples
"Aye, we just popped out for one, but by half nine he was mortal, canny as owt, and the bouncer had to call him a taxi."
"We only went out for two, but by closing time he was absolutely mortal, serenading the kebab shop and hugging a lamppost goodnight."
"By eleven our Kev was mortal, trying to order chips off a cash machine and swearing it was ignoring him on purpose."
"She weren’t just merry, she was mortal, mascara down her face and telling the taxi driver he was her best mate."
Where it comes from
From mortal meaning deadly, the extreme end of anything. The North of England pushed it to mean blind drunk, so far gone you are barely standing.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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