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soak

v. · n.
US //ˈsoʊk// UK //sˈəʊk// soak
  1. 1 to make very wet (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to leave something in liquid for a long time until it is completely wet.

    to immerse an object in liquid until it is thoroughly saturated or permeated.

    Example

    You should soak the dried beans in water overnight before you cook them.

    Example

    The archaeologist advised us to soak the encrusted artifacts in a mild saline solution to loosen the sediment without damaging the surface.
  2. 2 to absorb liquid (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to take in or suck up liquid, usually with 'up'.

    to absorb or take in liquid through pores or interstices; frequently functions as a phrasal verb with 'up'.

    Example

    Use a paper towel to soak up the milk you spilled on the table.

    Example

    The dry earth began to soak up the torrential rain, preventing the immediate runoff that usually leads to flash flooding.

    Usage

    Often used with the particle 'up'.
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  1. 3 to overcharge (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to make someone pay way too much money.

    to overcharge or extort a large amount of money from a person or group.

    Example

    The local shops really soak the tourists during the high season.

    Example

    Critics argued that the new tax policy was designed to soak the middle class while providing loopholes for the extremely wealthy.
  2. 4 a period of wetting (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of leaving something in water for a while.

    the act or process of immersing something in liquid for a period of time.

    Example

    After a long day of hiking, a hot soak in the tub felt amazing.

    Example

    The recipe requires a twenty-minute soak in cold water to ensure the noodles reach the correct texture before frying.
  3. 5 a heavy drinker (n.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Slang

    a person who drinks too much alcohol very often.

    a habitual or heavy drinker of alcoholic beverages.

    Example

    The old soak spent every afternoon at the corner pub.

    Example

    He was known as a bit of an old soak, rarely seen without a glass of ale in his hand by mid-afternoon.
Origin

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.

Idioms2 entries

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