drown: Meaning and Definition of

drown

Pronunciation: (droun), [key]
— v.i.
  1. to die under water or other liquid of suffocation.
—v.t.
  1. to kill by submerging under water or other liquid.
  2. to destroy or get rid of by, or as if by, immersion: He drowned his sorrows in drink.
  3. to flood or inundate.
  4. to overwhelm so as to render inaudible, as by a louder sound (often fol. by out).
  5. to add too much water or liquid to (a drink, food, or the like).
  6. to slake (lime) by covering with water and letting stand.
  7. The company is drowning in bad debts.
    1. to be overwhelmed by:The company is drowning in bad debts.
    2. to be covered with or enveloped in:The old movie star was drowning in mink.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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