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Sprinkle vs Drench - What's the difference?

sprinkle | drench | Related terms |

As verbs the difference between sprinkle and drench

is that sprinkle is to cause (a substance) to fall in fine drops (for a liquid substance) or small pieces (for a solid substance) while drench is to soak, to make very wet.

As nouns the difference between sprinkle and drench

is that sprinkle is a light covering with a sprinkled substance while drench is a draught administered to an animal.

sprinkle

English

Verb

(sprinkl)
  • (lb) To cause (a substance) to fall in fine drops (for a liquid substance) or small pieces (for a solid substance).
  • :
  • *(Bible), (w) xiv. 16
  • *:And the priest shallsprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord.
  • *
  • *:At twilight in the summeron the floor.
  • (lb) To cover (an object) by sprinkling a substance on to it.
  • :
  • *2005 , Justus Roux, Who's Your Daddy? , page 66:
  • *:Most of the passengers watched from the enclosed promenade deck, but Sandra found her way to the higher, open promenade where she shivered and watched the city lights fade and the stars sprinkle themselves across a dark blue velvet sky.
  • (lb) To drip in fine drops, sometimes sporadically.
  • :
  • (lb) To baptize by the application of a few drops, or a small quantity, of water; hence, to cleanse; to purify.
  • *(Bible), (w) x. 22
  • *:having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience

    • Quotations

    * 1893 , Edward F. Bigelow (editor and publisher), The Observer: a Medium of Interchange of Observations for all Students and Lovers of Nature , volume IV, number 4, page 114: *: There is no more beautiful object in the still and shady aisles of the wood than a great patch of the deep green hairy cap moss studded and starred by these little roses that are often scattered over it as thickly as the stars sprinkle the sky. * April 26th, 1899', ''Memorial Day Oration'' of General P. McGlashan, printed in '''1902 in ''Addresses delivered before the Confederate Veterans Association of Savannah by that association: *: As I laid him back on the litter he threw out his arms and clasped me around my neck, drew me towards him and kissed me, saying: "Colonel, I love you." [...] Unnumbered instances like this might be recounted did the time permit it. They sprinkle the whole four years as the stars sprinkle the sky. * 2010 , Donald E. MacKay, Love Is Stronger Than Death , page 91: *: [...] she will remember his words and gaze at the stars. One dark night when the stars sprinkle the heavens, she would call out to the stars and ask the same questions her benefactor had asked; perhaps she will be favored with answers.

    Derived terms

    * sprinkler

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A light covering with a sprinkled substance.
    • He decorated the Christmas card with a sprinkle of glitter.
  • A light rain shower.

    • Synonyms

    * (light covering with a sprinkled substance) sprinkling

    Derived terms

    * sugar sprinkles

    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.
    • Related terms
    * drenched

    Etymology 2

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

    Noun

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