noun / verb
drench
A dose of liquid medicine given orally to an animal.
The veterinarian gave the sheep an oral drench.
Etymology
The Old English verb includes giving drink. The veterinary sense preserves that administration of liquid, specifically a measured medicine delivered into an animal’s mouth.
More examples
- They drenched the animal with the prescribed liquid medicine.
- The drench was measured before administration.
- The farm record noted when each sheep was drenched.
Forms
drench · drenches · drenched · drenching
Similar words
- dose
- Dose is any measured amount of medicine; drench specifically names liquid given orally to an animal.
- bolus
- A veterinary bolus is a solid oral dose; a drench is liquid.