The d.t.'s is slang shorthand for delirium tremens — the severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome that causes shaking, hallucinations, sweating, and in serious cases can be life-threatening. It's the physical reckoning that hits heavy drinkers when they stop suddenly, and the phrase has been in circulation long enough to feel almost casual, despite describing something genuinely dangerous. You'll hear it used both seriously and as dark humour around hangover culture, though the real d.t.'s are no joke.
He tried quitting cold turkey and spent three days in hospital with the d.t.'s — the doctors said he nearly didn't make it.
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(slang) Delirium tremens.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.