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Drench vs Dampen - What's the difference?

drench | dampen |

As verbs the difference between drench and dampen

is that drench is to soak, to make very wet while dampen is to make damp or moist; to make slightly wet.

As a noun drench

is a draught administered to an animal.

drench

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) drenchen, from (etyl) . More at drink.

Noun

(es)
  • A draught administered to an animal.
  • (obsolete) A drink; a draught; specifically, a potion of medicine poured or forced down the throat; also, a potion that causes purging.
  • * Dryden
  • A drench of wine.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Give my roan horse a drench .

    Verb

  • To soak, to make very wet.
  • * Dryden
  • Now dam the ditches and the floods restrain; / Their moisture has already drenched the plain.
  • To cause to drink; especially, to dose (e.g. a horse) with medicine by force.
  • Etymology 2

    Anglo-Saxon dreng warrior, soldier, akin to Icelandic drengr.

    Noun

    (es)
  • (obsolete, UK) A military vassal, mentioned in the Domesday Book.
  • (Burrill)

    dampen

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make damp or moist; to make slightly wet.
  • To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen.
  • * The Century
  • In a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm.
  • * 2007 October 16, Jane E. Brody, “Despite Strides, Listeria Needs Vigilance”, ,
  • Pregnant women are 20 times as likely as other healthy young women to contract listeriosis, probably because in pregnancy the immune system is dampened to prevent rejection of the fetus.
  • To become damp; to deaden.
  • Anagrams

    * * English ergative verbs ----