drench

[drench]

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

1. the act of drenching.

2. something that drenches.

   a drench of rain.

3. a preparation for drenching or steeping.

4. a solution, especially one of fermenting bran, for drenching hides or skins.

5. a large drink or draft.

6. a draft of medicine, especially one administered to an animal by force.

7. Horticulture.,  a mixture of pesticide and water applied to the soil surrounding a plant.

drench

/ drɛntʃ /

verb

1. to make completely wet; soak

2. to give liquid medicine to (an animal), esp by force

noun

1. the act or an instance of drenching

2. a dose of liquid medicine given to an animal

Other Word Forms

• drencher noun
• drenchingly adverb
• undrenched adjective
• drenching noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of drench¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English drenchen, Old English drencan, causative of drincan “to drink” ( drink ); cognate with Dutch drenken, German tränken “to water, give to drink”

Word History and Origins

Origin of drench¹

Old English drencan to cause to drink; related to Old High German trenken

Synonym Study

See wet.

Example Sentences

Even when we think things are going exceptionally well and our spirits are drenched in warm summer sunlight, here comes autumn to remind us that there are some endings we have no control over.

Read more on Salon

Now, the bookshop is drenched in mud and they are taking stock of the damage.

Read more on BBC

Ragasa is not expected to hit Taiwan directly but is set to drench the island's east coast with heavy rains.

Read more on BBC

For the first time in months, widespread rainfall is drenching the Los Angeles area as a strong band of moisture from a dissipated tropical storm moves north.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Heavy rain is set to drench much of the UK over the next few days with the possibility for flooding and travel delays in the hardest-hit locations.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• deluge 
• douse 
• drown 
• immerse 
• impregnate 
• inundate 
• saturate 
• soak 
• steep 
• submerge 

When To Use

What does drench mean?

To drench is to soak with a liquid, as in The rain drenched me from head to foot. Often, drench is used in reference to rain, bodies of water, or a spill of some kind.To drench is also to saturate with liquid. When you saturate, or drench, a sponge with water, for example, you add as much water as the sponge can hold.Figuratively, to drench is also to cover or fill completely, such as drenching a plant with sunlight by placing the plant in a sunny window. You might also be drenched in a strong emotion, such as joy or sadness. In other words, you’re full of that joy or sadness.A drench is a large amount of liquid that is poured or dropped onto something, such as rain during a powerful rain storm.Drench is also the specific act of drenching something.Example: The rain is going to absolutely drench the clothes hanging on the laundry line.