soak

[sohk] /soʊk/
verb (used without object)
1.
to lie in and become saturated or permeated with water or some other liquid.
2.
to pass, as a liquid, through pores, holes, or the like:
The rain soaked through the tear in the umbrella.
3.
to be thoroughly wet.
4.
to penetrate or become known to the mind or feelings (followed by in):
The lesson didn't soak in.
5.
Informal. to drink immoderately, especially alcoholic beverages:
They were soaking at the bar.
verb (used with object)
6.
to place or keep in liquid in order to saturate thoroughly; steep.
7.
to wet thoroughly; saturate or drench.
8.
to permeate thoroughly, as liquid or moisture does.
9.
Metallurgy. to heat (a piece) for reworking.
10.
Informal. to intoxicate (oneself) by drinking an excess of liquor.
11.
Slang. to beat hard; punish severely:
I was soaked for that mistake.
12.
to extract or remove by or as by soaking (often followed by out):
to soak a stain out of a napkin.
13.
Slang. to overcharge:
He was soaked by the waiter.
noun
14.
the act or state of soaking or the state of being soaked.
15.
the liquid in which anything is soaked.
16.
Slang. a heavy drinker.
17.
Australian. any small area of land, as near a spring or at the foot of a hill, that becomes swamplike or holds water after a period of heavy rain.
Verb phrases
18.
soak up,
  1. to absorb or take in or up by absorption:
    Blotting paper soaks up ink.
  2. to absorb with one's mind or senses; take in:
    to soak up information.
  3. Slang. to drink to excess:
    He can really soak up the booze.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English soken, Old English sōcian; akin to suck
Related forms
soaker, noun
soakingly, adverb
oversoak, verb
resoak, verb
unsoaked, adjective
well-soaked, adjective
Synonyms
2, 4. seep. 7. See wet. 8. infuse, penetrate.
Antonyms
7. dry.
Examples from the web for soak
  • Wash and pare small potatoes, cut in eighth lengthwise, and soak one hour in cold water.
  • Pick over and wash prunes, then soak one hour in cold water, and boil until soft in same water.
  • Remove oil bag, and wash bird by allowing cold water to run through it, not allowing bird to soak in cold water.
  • soak the rinds of your citrus fruits in water for several days to infuse the scent in the water.
  • Block the vent hole with the can or a damp rag, and remove and soak the door in water.
  • Trees or crops may soak up some of the nitrate, but the excess nitrate can seep into groundwater or wash into surface water.
  • Wash the tub out, add fresh cold water, and soak the selected parts for another few hours.
  • soak the banana leaf rectangles in batches in the water for about a minute or two to soften the leaves.
  • Rinse with clear water and soak in clear water overnight.
  • But whatever you do during this family-friendly activity be sure to soak up the history.
British Dictionary definitions for soak

soak

/səʊk/
verb
1.
to make, become, or be thoroughly wet or saturated, esp by immersion in a liquid
2.
when intr, usually foll by in or into. (of a liquid) to penetrate or permeate
3.
(transitive; usually foll by in or up) (of a permeable solid) to take in (a liquid) by absorption: the earth soaks up rainwater
4.
(transitive; foll by out or out of) to remove by immersion in a liquid: she soaked the stains out of the dress
5.
(transitive) (metallurgy) to heat (a metal) prior to working
6.
(informal) to drink excessively or make or become drunk
7.
(transitive) (US & Canadian, slang) to overcharge
8.
(transitive) (Brit, slang) to put in pawn
noun
9.
the act of immersing in a liquid or the period of immersion
10.
the liquid in which something may be soaked, esp a solution containing detergent
11.
another name for soakage (sense 3)
12.
(Brit, informal) a heavy rainfall
13.
(slang) a person who drinks to excess
Derived Forms
soaker, noun
soaking, noun, adjective
Word Origin
Old English sōcian to cook; see suck
Word Origin and History for soak
v.

Old English socian (intransitive) "to soak, to lie in liquid," from Proto-Germanic *sukon (cf. West Flemish soken), possibly from PIE *sug-, from root *seue- (2) "to take liquid" (see sup (v.2)). Transitive sense "drench, permeate thoroughly" is from mid-14c.; that of "cause to lie in liquid" is from early 15c. Meaning "take up by absorption" is from 1550s. Slang meaning "to overcharge" first recorded 1895. Related: Soaked; soaking. As a noun, mid-15c., from the verb.

Slang definitions & phrases for soak

soak

noun

A drunkard; lush, souse (1820+)

verb
  1. To hit; sock: to soak you in the midriff/ Why don't you soak him? (1896+)
  2. To overcharge; make someone pay exorbitantly: a good case of how soak-the-rich corporation taxes wind up right in the pocketbooks of all of us (1895+)