Word
soaking
Phoneticssoak·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsoʊkɪŋ/
UK/sˈəʊkɪŋ/
Definitions
01extremely wet
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. completely wet, all the way through.
adj. extremely wet; saturated to the point of being unable to absorb more liquid.
“We got caught in the storm and our clothes were soaking by the time we got home.”
“The hikers arrived at the mountain hut with soaking boots and heavy spirits after navigating the flooded trail for six hours.”
Pitfall
I am soaking wet.
I am soaking.
While 'soaking wet' is a very common phrase, 'soaking' can be used alone as an adjective to mean the same thing.
02heavy rain
C1 · Advanced Technical
adj. heavy rain that goes deep into the ground.
adj. describing rain that is heavy and persistent enough to penetrate deeply into the soil.
“The garden really needed a soaking rain after the long, dry summer.”
“The agricultural report noted that a soaking rain would be necessary to restore moisture levels to the subsoil before the planting season began.”
Synonyms
03immersion in liquid
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of leaving something in water for a long time.
n. the act or process of immersing something in liquid for a period of time, often to clean it or soften it.
“The dirty pans need a good soaking in hot soapy water before you scrub them.”
“The recipe requires a twenty-four-hour soaking of the dried beans to ensure they cook evenly and achieve the desired texture.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Welsh said staff were "soaking to the skin with sweat working in the restaurant", and he also needed to change his sweat-soaked clothes after eating there.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English soukynge. By surface analysis, soak + -ing. First attested in c. 1440 in the Promptorium parvulorum.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
01. soaking wet
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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