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# under the influence

phrase (idiom, adjective phrase, «under the influence», also «under the influence of alcohol/drugs»)

«under the influence» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, official) drunk or on drugs.
2. (literal) being affected or controlled by someone or something: «under the influence of his friends».

### In the lessons

Police, courts and news reports use it to describe drunk or drugged drivers in neutral legal words; in the US «driving under the influence» (DUI) is a crime. The literal sense is everyday.

### Examples

- (news) He was arrested for driving under the influence.
- (police) The driver was clearly under the influence.
- (court) She admitted being under the influence of drugs.
- (literal) Under the influence of his older brother, he started reading science books.
- (literal) The weather is under the influence of a high-pressure system.
- (safety) Never get in a car with a driver who is under the influence.

### Note

Trap: alone, «under the influence» means drunk or drugged; with «of» + a person or idea it can be literal. «DUI» = driving under the influence.