What does the cryptic crossword clue "Swear whenever irritable drinking (7)" mean?

The definition is "Swear". The wordplay uses a container (one word inside another). IF (synonym="whenever/every time, as in “If you do that again, you’ll be punished”") in TESTY (synonym="irritable/grumpy") = TESTIFY; definition: "Swear" The answer is TESTIFY.

Swear whenever irritable drinking (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29618 | 10 Across | 2025-02-14 flower

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