fall off the wagon
Abandon one's sobriety
To fall off the wagon is to resume drinking alcohol after a period of abstinence, or more broadly, to relapse into any habit one had been trying to quit: He was sober for three years before he fell off the wagon.
The opposite is to be on the wagon—abstaining.
The expression likely derives from water wagons, which temperance pledgers figuratively rode.
- revertReturn to earlier condition
- backslideRevert to bad habits
- relapseReturn to former illness
- slip upMinor mistake or error
- alcoholismAddiction to drinking
moment of weakness · drink · sobriety · slip · temptation · triggers · setbacks · guilt · cravings · recovery programs · addiction · rock bottom · shame · willpower · stumble · hit the bottle · intoxication · lost weekend
- travel idiomshit the road, in the same boat, miss the boat, end of the road, crossroads
self-control/discipline
fall off the wagonstay strong
Encouragement to persist
stay the course · hold firm · keep it together · hold out · stick with it