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Webster 1913 Edition


Drench

Drench

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Drenched
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Drenching
.]
[AS.
drencan
to give to drink, to drench, the causal of
drincan
to drink; akin to D.
drenken
, Sw.
dränka
, G.
tränken
. See
Drink
.]
1.
To cause to drink; especially, to dose by force; to put a potion down the throat of, as of a horse; hence. to purge violently by physic.
As “to fell,” is “to make to fall,” and “to lay,” to make to lie.” so “to
drench
,” is “to make to drink.”
Trench.
2.
To steep in moisture; to wet thoroughly; to soak; to saturate with water or other liquid; to immerse.
Now dam the ditches and the floods restrain;
Their moisture has already
drenched
the plain.
Dryden.

Drench

,
Noun.
[AS.
drenc
. See
Drench
,
Verb.
T.
]
A drink; a draught; specifically, a potion of medicine poured or forced down the throat; also, a potion that causes purging.
“A drench of wine.”
Dryden.
Give my roan horse a
drench
.
Shakespeare

Drench

,
Noun.
[AS.
dreng
warrior, soldier, akin to Icel.
drengr
.]
(O. Eng. Law)
A military vassal mentioned in Domesday Book.
[Obs.]
Burrill.

Webster 1828 Edition


Drench

DRENCH

,
Verb.
T.
[G., to water, to soak. See Drink and Drag.]
1.
To wet thoroughly; to soak; to fill or cover with water or other liquid; as garments drenched in rain or in the sea; the flood has drenched the earth; swords drenched in blood.
2.
To saturate with drink.
3.
To purge violently.

DRENCH

,
Noun.
A draught; a swill; also, a portion of medicine to purge a beast, particularly a horse. Hence, a violent dose of physic to be forced down the throat.

Definition 2024


drench

drench

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /dɹɛntʃ/
  • Rhymes: -ɛntʃ

Noun

drench (plural drenches)

  1. A draught administered to an animal.
  2. (obsolete) A drink; a draught; specifically, a potion of medicine poured or forced down the throat; also, a potion that causes purging.
    • John Dryden
      A drench of wine has with success been us'd,
      And through a horn the gen'rous juice infus'd,
      Which, timely taken, op'd his closing jaws,
      But, if too late, the patient's death did cause.
    • William Shakespeare
      Give my roan horse a drench.
Translations

Verb

drench (third-person singular simple present drenches, present participle drenching, simple past and past participle drenched)

  1. To soak, to make very wet.
    • Dryden
      Now dam the ditches and the floods restrain; / Their moisture has already drenched the plain.
  2. To cause to drink; especially, to dose (e.g. a horse) with medicine by force.
Related terms
Translations

Etymology 2

Anglo-Saxon dreng warrior, soldier, akin to Icelandic drengr.

Noun

drench (plural drenches)

  1. (obsolete, Britain) A military vassal, mentioned in the Domesday Book.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Burrill to this entry?)