Phrases & SayingsWork, bush and rural life
on the turps
Also: get on the turps, hit the turps
Drinking alcohol heavily.
In a sentence
They had been on the turps since lunchtime.
Where it came from
The Australian National Dictionary Centre records turps for alcoholic liquor from the 1860s and the later phrase on the turps.
- Initial era
- 1800–1899
- Where used
- Australia-wide