The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth.

1. The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth shot.

2. The police were urged to stop drinking by April the fifth.

Those are excellent. :-)

Based on the provided information, there are two possible interpretations for the given statement. Let's break down each interpretation:

1. The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth shot:
In this interpretation, the sentence suggests that the police were encouraged or advised to stop drinking alcohol before consuming their fifth shot. This implies that an unspecified number of shots preceded the fifth one, and it may be a warning to avoid excessive consumption.

2. The police were urged to stop drinking by April the fifth:
In this interpretation, the sentence indicates that the police were instructed or advised to stop consuming alcoholic beverages before or by the date April 5th. It implies that there may be a specific event or circumstance associated with that date that requires them to refrain from drinking alcohol.

To determine which interpretation is more likely, additional context or clarification may be needed from the source or speaker of the statement.

The given sentence can be interpreted in two different ways, so I will provide step-by-step explanations for both interpretations.

Interpretation 1: The police were urged to stop drinking by the fifth shot.

1. The sentence states that the police were urged to stop drinking.
2. It implies that the police had been drinking, and someone encouraged them to stop.
3. The phrase "by the fifth" refers to the number of shots or drinks consumed.
4. To comply with the request, the police should stop drinking before reaching the fifth shot.

Interpretation 2: The police were urged to stop drinking by April the fifth.

1. The sentence states that the police were urged to stop drinking.
2. It implies that the police had been drinking, and someone encouraged them to quit the habit.
3. The phrase "by April the fifth" refers to a specific date.
4. To comply with the request, the police should stop consuming alcohol before the fifth day of April.

Please let me know if you need any further clarification or have any other questions.