- [intransitive, transitive]
to die because you have been underwater too long and you cannot breathe; to kill somebody by holding them underwater （使）淹死，溺死 Two children drowned after falling into the river. 两个孩子掉进河里淹死了。 🔊🔊 He had attempted to rescue the drowning man. 他曾试图去救那个溺水的男人。 🔊🔊 - drown somebody/something/yourself
She tried to drown herself. 她试图投水自杀。 🔊🔊 They had drowned the unwanted kittens. 他们把没人要的小猫淹死了。 🔊🔊 - be drowned
He was drowned at sea. 他淹死在海里。 🔊🔊
Extra ExamplesShe had been thrown into the harbour and left to drown. 她被扔进了港口，被淹死了。 They were commended for saving a four-year-old from drowning. 他们为拯救一名四岁儿童免于溺水而受到赞扬。
- [transitive] drown something (in something)
to make something very wet; to completely cover something in water or another liquid 浸透；淹没；浸泡 - [transitive] drown somebody/something (out)
(of a sound 声音 to be louder than other sounds so that you cannot hear them 压过；盖没；淹没
Word OriginMiddle English (originally northern): related to Old Norse drukkna ‘to be drowned’, also to drink.
Idioms
drown your fears/loneliness/sorrows, etc.
- (especially humorous)
to get drunk in order to forget your problems 借酒壮胆、解寂寞、浇愁等 She opened a bottle of wine to drown her sorrows. 她打开一瓶酒淹死了自己的悲伤。