drown / droun/ • v. [intr.] die through submersion in and inhalation of water: she drowned in the pond | (be drowned) two fishermen were drowned when their motorboat capsized. ∎  [tr.] deliberately kill (a person or animal) in this way: he killed his wife then drowned himself in a fit of despair. ∎  [tr.] submerge or flood (an area): when the ice melted, the valleys were drowned. ∎  [tr.] (of a sound) make (another sound) inaudible by being much louder: his voice was drowned out by the approaching engine noise.PHRASES: drown one's sorrows forget one's problems by getting drunk.like a drowned rat extremely wet and bedraggled: she arrived at the church looking like a drowned rat.PHRASAL VERBS: drowned in be overwhelmed or enveloped by: a phase of being completely drowned in his work. ∎  (of food) immersed in or covered by: ham drowned in maple syrup.

drown XIII. ME. (orig. north.) dr(o)un(e), pointing to an OE. *drūnian, rel. to ON. drukna be drowned, f. Gmc. *druŋk-, gradation-var. of *dreŋk- DRINK.

drown drown one's sorrows forget one's problems by getting drunk.
like a drowned rat extremely wet and bedraggled.