From Middle English soken, from Old English socian (“to soak, steep”, literally “to cause to suck (up)”), from Proto-Germanic *sukōną (“to soak”), causative of Proto-Germanic *sūkaną (“to suck”). Cognate with Middle Dutch soken (“to cause to suck”). More at suck.
Meanings
An immersion in water etc.
After the strenuous climb, I had a nice long soak in a bath.
wildlife tourism has turned Knepp into a successful business that employs more people than it did when it was a farm. Springtime overnighters snuggling down in a luxury treehouse after a soak in the open-air, wood-fired Swedish Hikki bathtub may hear nightingales serenading their consorts 2020 February 25, Christopher de Bellaigue, “The end of farming?”, in The Guardian:
(UK, slang) A drunkard.
(slang) A carouse; a drinking session.
(Australia) A low-lying depression that fills with water after rain.
Molly and Daisy finished their breakfast and decided to take all their dirty clothes and wash them in the soak further down the river. 1996, Doris Pinkington, “Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence”, in Heiss, Minter, editors, Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, Allen & Unwin, published 2008, page 170:
I set off early to walk along the Melbourne Road where, one of the punters had told me, there was a soak with plenty of frogs in it. 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber & Faber, published 2003, page 38:
vec smoja (immersion in a liquid) · de Einweichen (immersion in a liquid) · fi liko (immersion in a liquid) · bg намокряне (immersion in a liquid) · it immersione (immersion in a liquid) · gl remollo (immersion in a liquid) · fi liotus (immersion in a liquid) · gl inmersión (immersion in a liquid) · bg накисване (immersion in a liquid)
From Middle English soken, from Old English socian (“to soak, steep”, literally “to cause to suck (up)”), from Proto-Germanic *sukōną (“to soak”), causative of Proto-Germanic *sūkaną (“to suck”). Cognate with Middle Dutch soken (“to cause to suck”). More at suck.
Meanings
(intransitive) To be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it.
I'm going to soak in the bath for a couple of hours.
Their land shall be soaked with blood. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 24:7:
(transitive) (slang, boxing) To hit or strike.
Wasn't Mr. Sipperley pretty shirty when he came to and found that you had been soaking him with putters? 1926, [P.G. Wodehouse], The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy:
(transitive) To immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation.
Soak the beans overnight before cooking.
(intransitive) To penetrate or permeate by saturation.
The water soaked into my shoes and gave me wet feet.
The rivulet beneath […]soaked its way obscurely through wreaths of snow. 1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], →OCLC:
(transitive) To allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed; to take in, receive. (usually + up)
The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff. 1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:
A sponge soaks up water; the skin soaks in moisture.
I soaked up all the knowledge I could at university.
(figuratively, transitive) To overcharge or swindle out of a large amount of money.
It's a blackmail ring, and the district attorneys get a share of the loot. […] Well, they got him in the same kind of jam, and soaked him to the tune of three hundred and eighty-six thousand. 1928, Upton Sinclair, Boston, New York, N.Y.: Albert & Charles Boni, page 337:
I think you’re totally right that there is a big constituency, especially now that the party has been transformed, of Republican- and populist-leaning Republican voters who would be fine with some soaking the rich in the context of a bigger budget deal. […] Just maintaining the changes to the state and local tax deduction that was, I think, one of the genuinely populist victories of the first Trump term. And I should say, it soaked me, it soaked the upper middle class in blue states. 2025 January 31, Ross Douthat, “Steve Bannon on ‘Broligarchs’ vs. Populism”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
Sure, if we own an aerospace contracting company, a five-thousand-acre sugar-beet farm, or a savings and loan with the president's son on the board of directors, we can soak Uncle Sucker for millions. 2015, P. J. O'Rourke, Thrown Under the Omnibus: A Reader:
(dated, slang) To drink intemperately or gluttonously.
(transitive) To heat (a metal) before shaping it.
(transitive) To hold a kiln at a particular temperature for a given period of time.
We should soak the kiln at cone 9 for half an hour.
(figuratively, transitive) To absorb; to drain.
That they will want a certaine sucking and soaking 1624, Henry Wotton, The Elements of Architecture, […], London: […] Iohn Bill, →OCLC:
(Mormonism, slang) To engage in penetrative sex without hip thrusting.
sk nasiaknuť (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ur بھگونا (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pt ensopar-se (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · lt mirkyti (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · yue 浸泡 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · es embeber (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · vi ngâm (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ja 濡れる (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ru промо́кнуть (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ko 잠기다 (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · sv blötlägga (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · cmn 濕透 /湿透 (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ca penetrar (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · hi भिगाना (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · he הִשְׁרָה (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · yue 浸 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · la imbuō (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · sk vsiaknuť (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · pt pôr de molho (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · qu chulluchiy (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · cmn 泡 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · vec smojar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ru впита́ть (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · sk vymáčať (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · de einweichen (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pt encharcar-se (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · fr tremper (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · de durchnässen (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · tyz bốt (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pt deixar de molho (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · it mettere a bagno (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · izh liota (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · oc amarar (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · fr faire tremper (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ru выма́чивать (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ca amarar (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · hu ázik (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · pt encharcar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ta கசி (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · ru отмока́ть (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · sk vpiť (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · bg попивам (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · nl weken (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ru вы́мочить (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · es empapar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · grc ἀποβρέχω (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · eo trempi (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · it imbeversi (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · sk namočiť (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ru намо́кнуть (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ja 浸る 染みる (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ceb humol (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · fi liota (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ta ஊறவை (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ta தோய் (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · sk napustiť (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ru проса́чиваться (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · it inzupparsi (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · yo rin (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · lut baʔsil (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · vec smojar (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · mba hinomol (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · pt molhar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · fr immerger (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · es empaparse (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · sq qull (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ko 잠그다 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ur بھگانا (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · gl botar de mollo (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · sq njom (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · pt molhar-se (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ru намока́ть (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ru просочи́ться (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · vi ngâm (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pt demolhar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · bg накисвам се (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · as টোকা (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · lv mirkt (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · fi imeyttää (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · nl doordringen (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · it imbevere (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · rup molj (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ta உறி (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · gl amolecer (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pl przesiąknąć (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ar اِبْتَلَّ (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · hu áztat (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · kix tēm (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · nl doorweken (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · hi भिगोना (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pl przemaczać (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · grc διαβρέχω (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pl przemaczać się (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ru впи́тывать (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · gl enchoupar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · hu felszív (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · bg кисна (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · sk presiaknuť (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · lt išmirkyti (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · it mettere a mollo (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ta உறிஞ்சு (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · lv mērcēties (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · cmn 浸泡 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · yo rin gbingbin (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ja 濡らす (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · pl przemoczyć (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · nl opnemen (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · de tränken (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · hi सोखना (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · pt ensopar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · lt įmirkti (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · fi imeä (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · cmn 浸透 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · es esponjar (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · io arozegar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · fr éponger (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · ja 浸す (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · fi tihkua (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · it assorbire (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · it inzuppare (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · lv mērcēt (to allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed) · ro muia (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · sq lag (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · izh liottaa (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · ru промока́ть (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · pl przemoczyć się (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · es enriar (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · qu chulluy (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · bg пропивам (to penetrate or permeate by saturation) · fi liottaa (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · lt mirkti (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · ta ஊறு (to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it) · yo rẹ (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · yue 浸透 (to immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation) · hu beszívódik (to penetrate or permeate by saturation)