soaking
Meaning
extremely wet
the act of making something completely wet
Structure
Usage
we got caught in the rain and came home soaking wet.
give the beans a good soaking before you cook them.
her clothes were soaking after she fell into the pool.
Etymology
The word 'soaking' is a transparent English formation from the verb 'soak' and the suffix '-ing'. The verb 'soak' originates from Old English socian, meaning 'to become saturated, to lie in liquid', which is of west Germanic lineage. The '-ing' suffix, also from Old English, serves a dual function: it can create the present participle form of a verb, used adjectivally (as in 'the soaking rain'), or a deverbal noun denoting the action or process (as in 'a long soaking'). The literal sense of the morphemes—'to saturate' plus the action/state suffix—combines directly to form the modern meanings related to the state of being thoroughly wet or the process of causing such a state.
Analysis
soak: from old english socian (to become saturated with liquid), of west germanic origin; the verbal root. ing: from old english -ende, -ung, a suffix forming present participles and verbal nouns.