sodden
/ˈsɒdn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɑːdn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsä-dᵊn/ (ame, mw)
sodden — adjective
- soddenpositive
- more soddencomparative
- most soddensuperlative
1. (of materials such as fabric, paper, soil, or food) containing so much liquid th
(of materials such as fabric, paper, soil, or food) containing so much liquid that nothing more can be absorbed, often making the item heavy, uncomfortable, or likely to fall apart.
Carlos walked home through the storm and found his coat sodden and heavy.
sodden after exposure to heavy rain
The gardener left the hose running, and by morning the lawn was sodden.
Priya hung her sodden gloves by the radiator, but they stayed cold for hours.
Tariq grabbed the box, but the sodden cardboard bottom tore open at once.
Amina's socks were sodden after she stepped into a deep puddle on her way home.
- soaked
more common and less extreme than sodden; the everyday word for very wet
- drenched
emphasises being wet from liquid poured or thrown; implies external cause
- saturated
more technical; suggests the material cannot hold any more liquid
- waterlogged
specifically of something that has absorbed water and become heavy, like ground or wood
用法筆記
Used primarily for absorbent materials — fabric, paper, cardboard, soil, wood, bread. Not used for non-absorbent surfaces such as glass or metal.
常見錯誤
sodden — verb
- soddenpresent simple I / you / we / they
- soddens3rd person singular
- soddening-ing form
- soddenedpast simple
1. to make something completely wet, typically by pouring or exposing it to so much
to make something completely wet, typically by pouring or exposing it to so much liquid that it absorbs all it can hold and becomes heavy or damaged.
The sudden cloudburst soddened the picnic blankets and soaked the grass.
transitive active: soddened [object]
Sergei soddened his passport when he fell into the hotel pool.
The flower beds were soddened by three days of non-stop spring rain.
Do not leave the sponge on the board — it will sodden the wood.
文法句型
be soddened by [liquid]
sodden + object + with [liquid]
用法筆記
This transitive verb is uncommon in modern English; the adjective 'sodden' is far more frequent. The passive construction ('was soddened by…') appears more often than the active form. Avoid using this sense in casual conversation — choose 'soak' or 'drench' instead.
常見錯誤
2. (of an absorbent material) to become completely soaked as liquid gradually seeps
(of an absorbent material) to become completely soaked as liquid gradually seeps into it, often through prolonged exposure.
The straw mattress became sodden as damp cellar air seeped into it over weeks.
became sodden + time phrase showing gradual absorption
If you leave the newspaper outside, it will get sodden in the rain.
will get sodden in [condition]
The wooden cutting board got sodden after sitting in a sink of water all night.
The soil became sodden slowly as the broken pipe leaked beneath the garden.
The tent canvas got sodden after three nights of rain and began to drip.
- become soaked
more natural and frequent in everyday English; the standard alternative
- get saturated
implies reaching the point where no more liquid can be held
- waterlog
specifically for ground or wood becoming heavy with absorbed water
- dry out
to become free of moisture
文法句型
sodden + with [liquid]
sodden in [liquid]
用法筆記
This intransitive sense is the rarest use of 'sodden'. In modern English, speakers almost always use the adjective construction 'become sodden' or 'get sodden' instead, which carries the same meaning more naturally. This verb form appears mainly in literary or historical contexts.