Why We Clink Glasses When Toasting
In short: Clinking glasses is simply part of the toasting ritual. No one knows exactly how it started, and the popular poison story is probably a myth.
When people make a toast, they often clink glasses and say “Cheers!” No one knows for sure how the custom started. Popular stories mention scaring away evil spirits or proving there was no poison, but there’s no real evidence for either. English tip: to start a toast, you can say, “I’d like to make a toast to...” or simply, “Here’s to...!” For example, “Here’s to a great year!”
How to use it
At a toast, people raise their glasses, often say “Cheers” and may clink. To toast a person or an event, say “Here’s to…” (“Here’s to Mina”) or “Let’s raise a glass to…” At a formal dinner, the host may give a short speech first. Clinking isn’t required; raising your glass and making eye contact is enough.
Examples
- Here’s to the new team. Cheers.
- Let’s raise a glass to Sam and Olivia.
- I’d like to make a toast to everyone who helped with this project.
A common mistake
Use to after toast: make a toast to someone, not “make a toast for” them. And “Cheers” ends in s, so don’t say “Cheer.”
Where it comes from
No one knows for sure. Stories about spilling wine between cups to prove there was no poison, or making noise to scare off evil spirits, are often repeated but have no solid evidence. Another idea is that the sound simply adds to the celebration.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: The Kitchn