drench

Etymology 1

From Middle English drenchen, from Old English drenċan, from Proto-West Germanic *drankijan, from Proto-Germanic *drankijaną (compare Dutch drenken ‘to get a drink’, German tränken ‘to water, give a drink’), causative of *drinkaną (“to drink”). More at drink.

noun

1. A draught administered to an animal.
2. (obsolete) A drink; a draught; specifically, a potion of medicine poured or forced down the throat; also, a potion that causes purging.
   A drench of wine has with success been us'd, And through a horn the gen'rous juice infus'd, Which, timely taken, op'd his closing jaws, But, if too late, the patient's death did cause.
   I took up the 'Christian Scientist' book and read half of it, then took a dipperful of drench and read the other half. 1907, Mark Twain, Christian Science and the Book of Mrs. Eddy

verb

1. To soak, to make very wet.
2. To cause to drink; especially, to dose (e.g. a horse) with medicine by force.

Etymology 2

noun

1. Alternative form of dreng