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

Spain has in recent years endured longer and more intense summer heatwaves, while fiercer autumn storms have drenched the country with torrential rain -- extreme weather events that scientists attribute to human-driven climate change.

Read more on Barron's

A string of early-season storms that drenched Californians last week lifted much of the state out of drought and significantly reduced the risk of wildfires, experts say.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The soggy weather that has drenched Southern California since the weekend has mostly moved out of the area, giving residents a brief respite from the rain before another storm moves in later in the week.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The story’s emotional climax, the crescendo of his bold answer to Shakespeare’s soliloquy, is drenched in golden hues to underscore a life or death choice.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Within moments she and the children were drenched.

Read more on Literature

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.