Main Entry: ¹soak

Pronunciation: \ˈsōk\

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English soken, from Old English socian; akin to Old English sūcan to suck

Date: before 12th century

intransitive verb 1 : to lie immersed in liquid (as water) : become saturated by or as if by immersion
2 a : to enter or pass through something by or as if by pores or interstices : permeate b : to penetrate or affect the mind or feelings —usually used with in or into
3 : to drink alcoholic beverages intemperatelytransitive verb 1 : to permeate so as to wet, soften, or fill thoroughly
2 : to place in a surrounding element (as liquid) to wet or permeate thoroughly
3 : to extract by or as if by steeping <soak the dirt out>
4 a : to draw or take in by or as if by suction or absorption <soaked up the sunshine> b : to intoxicate (oneself) by drinking alcoholic beverages
5 : to cause to pay an exorbitant amount

— soak·er noun

synonyms soak, saturate, drench, steep, impregnate mean to permeate or be permeated with a liquid. soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing <soak the garment in soapy water>. saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held <a saturated sponge>. drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured <clothes drenched by a cloudburst>. steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (as a color) to the thing immersed <steep the tea for five minutes>. impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another <a cake strongly impregnated with brandy>.