drench

drench [drench] SynonymsExamplesWord Origin verb (used with object)

1. to wet thoroughly; soak.
2. to saturate by immersion in a liquid; steep.
3. to cover or fill completely; bathe: trees drenched with sunlight.
4. Veterinary Medicine. to administer a draft of medicine to (an animal), especially by force: to drench a horse.
5. Archaic. to cause to drink.

noun

6. the act of drenching.
7. something that drenches: a drench of rain.
8. a preparation for drenching or steeping.
9. a solution, especially one of fermenting bran, for drenching hides or skins.
10. a large drink or draft.
11. a draft of medicine, especially one administered to an animal by force.
12. Horticulture. a mixture of pesticide and water applied to the soil surrounding a plant.

Origin of drench before 900; Middle English drenchen, Old English drencan, causative of drincan to drink; cognate with Dutch drenken, German tränken to water, give to drinkRelated formsdrench·er, noundrench·ing·ly, adverbun·drenched, adjectiveSynonyms for drench 1. See wet. Related Words for drenching inundate, soak, deluge, saturate, drown, douse, submerge, impregnate, steep, immerse, dunk, souse, teem, flood, pour, sop, seethe, duck, dip, imbrue Examples from the Web for drenching Contemporary Examples of drenching

I blasted the Beastie Boys and chemically straightened my curls, drenching them with Sun-In until I, too, had long, golden waves.

Living On—And Leaving—America’s Biggest Commune

Rena Mundo Croshere

November 23, 2012

The wind is fierce—gusts are blowing rain like wet bullets, drenching everything.

How We Saved Woodstock

Michael Lang

August 14, 2009

Defensiveness has swept over the culture like a giant wave, drenching daily choices in cold water.

So Many Laws, So Little Time

Philip K. Howard

February 17, 2009

Historical Examples of drenching

Rain came, in a torrent of water, heavy as lead, drenching her to the skin.

The Innocent Adventuress

Mary Hastings Bradley

Wilson returned no more, and the promise of a drenching was never fulfilled.

The Shadow of a Crime

Hall Caine

“I think we are in for a drenching, May,” said Hil, looking anxiously round.

Australia Revenged

Boomerang

A wave broke over the bows of the vessel, drenching them with spray.

The Traitors

E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

He had taken cold from his drenching, and was shivering and feverish by turns.

Left on Labrador

Charles Asbury Stephens

British Dictionary definitions for drenching drench verb (tr)

1. to make completely wet; soak
2. to give liquid medicine to (an animal), esp by force

noun

3. the act or an instance of drenching
4. a dose of liquid medicine given to an animal

Derived Formsdrencher, noundrenching, noun, adjectiveWord Origin for drench Old English drencan to cause to drink; related to Old High German trenken Word Origin and History for drenching drench v.

c.1200, “to submerge, drown,” from Old English drencan “give drink to, ply with drink, make drunk; soak, saturate; submerge, drown,” causative of drincan “to drink” (see drink), from Proto-Germanic *drankijan (cf. Old Norse drekkja, Swedish dränka, Dutch drenken, German tränken, Gothic dragkjan “to give to drink”). Sense of “to wet thoroughly by throwing liquid over” is from c.1550. Related: Drenched; drenching.