What it means
In Northern English, if someone's mortal, they're absolutely hammered, not just a bit tipsy. Proper gone. Slurring, wobbling, chatting rubbish, making choices that only make sense to a drunk brain, then waking up with half the night blanked out. You’ll hear mortal drunk as well. It’s a blunt local way of saying the drink’s fully taken the wheel.
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."
"Went for a quiet couple and our Liam ended up mortal, trying to have a heart-to-heart with the takeaway menu."
Where it comes from
This use comes from mortal meaning deadly or extreme. In Northern English speech, that sense got pushed into drinking talk, so if someone was mortal, they were drunk to the point of being almost wiped out. It’s old regional intensifier logic, dark, blunt, and very pub-chat British.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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