bend (one's)/the elbow
To drink alcohol, perhaps excessively. Come bend your elbow at the bar with us tonight! If you're this hung-over, you must have really bent the elbow at the party last night.
bend one's elbow
and bend the elbow; lift one's elbowto take a drink of an alcoholic beverage; to drink alcohol to excess. He's down at the tavern, bending his elbow. Paul gets lots of exercise. I saw him bend his elbow thirty times at a bar yesterday.
bend (one's) elbow
Slang To drink alcoholic beverages.