"Behold...the cupholder" As in...

Hanging on, by a hook... as in "just barely" made it to the...next round of the World Cup...

Dirtied cups and saucers... by the dozens, given the Euro teatime thing, and others here trying to emulate them, as in "tea rooms". Bringing us to the...

Cupholders... the increasing demand for which eventuated them getting built in, to just about everything. But what about, the ones that come bearing the liquid that, whether shaken or stirred, could result in the bearer being well tipped on the one hand, or barely making out of the chambers...alive. Cuts both ways, this sword. The officially appointed "cupbearer" came early and often, holding a cup in one hand, and whatever resembled a modern hanky, in the other. Because even the proxy watching the emperor, pharaoh, king, whoever seated in the seat of royalty, sipping from the cup, could work up, a cold sweat. Sometimes too hard to bear. Whereas, if the drinker survived "all the way down to the last drop" it could elevate the cupbearer to a higher rank (here's where the old saying "the higher you go..."😟). So there you go. You'll never think about those coming to your table, "bearing gifts" the same way again. Whether a plain old wait staff, that aptly named, keep you waiting, or the fancy schmancy Frenchy "Sommelier😒" -- you'll think twice about the potentially high cost, of...sipping. 

And where, you ask... did all the cupbearers go, to gather up the bravery for such a task? Well, where else, other than whatever they called the local tavern, for a cup of liquid courage - "here's to your health!" (Gulp)