The idiom ‘down the hatch’ is commonly used as a cheerful way to encourage someone to drink, particularly in social settings. Its origin can be traced back to nautical language, where ‘hatch’ refers to an opening in the deck of a ship. This opening allows for the passage of goods and people in and out of the hold, much like how a drink is passed down or consumed.
In the context of drinking, the phrase conjures an image of lifting a drink up and ‘downing’ it as if it’s going through the hatch into the body, celebrating camaraderie and good times. While the exact moment when this idiom came into popular use isn’t clear, it has persisted through the years as a light-hearted toast or invitation to indulge in drinks, embedding itself into the culture of social drinking.