English to English

noun (n)

• an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to excess(noun.motive)

  Synonym:
  alcoholism, potomania
  

  source: wordnet30
• A morbid an uncontrollable craving (often periodic) for drink, esp. for alcoholic liquors; also improperly used to denote acute and chronic alcoholism.(noun)

  source: webster1913