drench

Meanings

Noun

• A draught administered to an animal.
• A drink; a draught; specifically, a potion of medicine poured or forced down the throat; also, a potion that causes purging.
• A military vassal, mentioned in the Domesday Book

Verb

• To soak, to make very wet.
• To cause to drink; especially, to dose (e.g. a horse) with medicine by force.

Origin

• From Middle English drenchen, from Old English drenċan, from Proto-Germanic *drankijaną (compare Dutch drenken ‘to get a drink’, German tränken ‘to water, give a drink’), causative of *drinkaną. More at drink.
• From Middle English dreng, from Old English drenġ, from Proto-Germanic *drangijaz, cognate to Old Norse drengr.