binge

Etymology

From Leicestershire and Northamptonshire dialect, binge (“to soak”), of unknown origin. Compare dialectal English beene and beam (“to cure leakage in a tub or barrel by soaking, thereby causing the wood to swell”).

noun

1. A short period of excessive consumption, especially of food, alcohol, narcotics, etc.
2. (by extension) A compressed period of an activity done in excess, such as watching a television show.

verb

1. To engage in a short period of excessive consumption, especially of excessive alcohol consumption.
   I binged on ice cream.
   It’s nice to think that our bubble baths and personal time might have a larger political purpose (“Um, Foucault! I’m not just bingeing Netflix – I’m engaging in Platonic political philosophy in order to better serve others!”), but more often than not, our acts of self-care are simply acts of privilege. 2017-01-12, Arwa Mahdawi, “Generation treat yo' self: the problem with 'self-care'”, in The Guardian