alcoholism

alcoholism
    n 1: habitual intoxication; prolonged and excessive intake of
         alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health and an
         addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to
         severe withdrawal symptoms [syn: {alcoholism}, {alcohol
         addiction}, {inebriation}, {drunkenness}]
    2: an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to
       excess [syn: {dipsomania}, {alcoholism}, {potomania}]
    

alcoholism \al"co*hol*ism\ ([a^]l"k[-o]*h[o^]l*[i^]z'm), n. [Cf.
   F. alcoolisme.]
   1. (Med.) Chronic excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages
      that leads to social, occupational, psychological and
      physiological problems.
      [AS]

   2. (Med.) Psychological and physiological dependence on
      alcohol; sudden cessation of drinking may lead to
      withdrawal symptoms.
      [AS + PJC]
    

37 Moby Thesaurus words for "alcoholism":
      a habit, acquired tolerance, acute alcoholism, addictedness,
      addiction, alcoholic addiction, alcoholic psychosis,
      amphetamine withdrawal symptoms, barbiturate addiction,
      barbiturism, bottle nose, chain smoking, chronic alcoholism,
      cocainism, crash, craving, delirium tremens, dependence,
      dipsomania, drug addiction, drug culture, drug dependence,
      ebriosity, grog blossom, habitual drunkenness, habituation,
      heavy drinking, nicotine addiction, oenomania, oinomania,
      pathological drunkenness, physical dependence, problem drinking,
      psychological dependence, tolerance, withdrawal sickness,
      withdrawal symptoms