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soaking

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsoʊkɪŋ// UK //sˈəʊkɪŋ// soak·ing

adj. extremely wet. You use this when something or someone is completely covered in water or another liquid.

adj. completely wet or saturated with liquid. Often used as a participial adjective in both attributive and predicative positions.


SIMPLE

I got soaking wet in the rain.

CONTEXTUAL

After falling into the pool with his clothes on, he stood on the deck dripping and soaking.

COMPLEX

The hikers arrived at the cabin with soaking boots and heavy spirits, having spent the entire afternoon navigating through a relentless mountain downpour.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English soukynge. By surface analysis, soak + -ing. First attested in c. 1440 in the Promptorium parvulorum.

Usage

Often pairs with 'wet' as an intensifier ('soaking wet'), but can stand alone after a linking verb like 'be' or 'get'.

Pitfall

I am very soakingI am soakingSoaking is an extreme adjective and does not usually take 'very'; use it alone or with 'absolutely'.

Idioms1 entry

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