drench
UK: drentʃ | US: drentʃ
vt. to soak or saturate thoroughly with liquid
vt. (veterinary) to administer liquid medicine forcibly to an animal
n. (archaic) a draught of liquid; a drenching
The word "drench" originates from Old English drencan, meaning "to cause to drink," derived from Proto-Germanic drankijaną. It evolved from the idea of forcibly making someone or something drink, later broadening to mean soaking or saturating. The verb-forming suffix "-ch" (modern "-en") solidified its action-oriented meaning. Over time, it specialized in veterinary use (force-feeding medicine) while retaining its general sense of thorough wetting.
The sudden storm drenched everyone at the outdoor wedding.
Farmers drench sheep to protect them from parasites.
Her clothes were drenched after walking in the heavy rain.
(Archaic) He took a drench of ale to warm himself.
The soil was drenched by days of continuous rainfall.