# Clinking glasses after toast

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinking-glasses-after-toast/728631>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 23, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinking-glasses-after-toast/728631 "2015-08-23T19:50:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hjets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@hjets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hjets)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinking-glasses-after-toast/728631/1 "2015-08-23T19:50:48Z")

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I’ve heard or read that clinking glasses was “something for the ear”. When drinking, you taste, smell, see, feel,…clinking gives something to the ear.

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**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinking-glasses-after-toast/728631/2 "2015-08-25T12:13:31Z")

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I’ve read about the history of clinking glasses. It started out as sharing one’s drinks to show that it wasn’t poisoned. It evolved to formality.