soak

soak¹ S3 [səuk US souk] v

[: Old English; Origin: socian]

1.) [I and T]

if you soak something, or if you let it soak, you keep it covered with a liquid for a period of time, especially in order to make it softer or easier to clean

▪ Soak the clothes in cold water.

▪ Let the pans soak; I'll wash them later.

soak sth off/out

(=remove it by soaking)

▪ Put the bottle in soapy water to soak the label off.

2.) [I always + adverb/preposition, T]

to make something completely wet

▪ Police aimed water hoses at the marchers, soaking them.

soak through/into etc

▪ The blood soaked through the bandage.

soak sth in/with sth

▪ a rag soaked with oil

3.)

to spend a long time taking a bath

▪ Soak in a warm bath to relax.

4.) [T] [i]informal

to make someone pay too much money in prices or taxes

▪ taxes that soak the middle classes

soak up [soak sth<=>up] phr v

1.) if something soaks up a liquid, it takes the liquid into itself

▪ He used a towel to soak up the blood.

2.) soak up the sun/rays/sunshine etc

to sit outside for a long time enjoying the sun

3.) to enjoy a place by watching it or becoming involved in it

▪ Go to a sidewalk cafe, order coffee, and soak up the atmosphere .

4.) to learn something quickly and easily

▪ Children soak up language incredibly quickly.

soak ²

soak² n [singular]

1.) a long and enjoyable time spent sitting in the bath

▪ I had a good long soak in the bath.

2.) BrE when you soak something

▪ Give the towels a good soak , they're very dirty.

3.) an old soak

someone who is often drunk - used humorously