Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Drench \Drench\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Drenched}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Drenching}.] [AS. drencan to give to drink, to drench, the
   causal of drincan to drink; akin to D. drenken, Sw.
   dr["a]nka, G. tr["a]nken. See {Drink}.]
   1. To cause to drink; especially, to dose by force; to put a
      potion down the throat of, as of a horse; hence. to purge
      violently by physic.

            As ``to fell,'' is ``to make to fall,'' and ``to
            lay,'' to make to lie.'' so ``to drench,'' is ``to
            make to drink.''                      --Trench.

   2. To steep in moisture; to wet thoroughly; to soak; to
      saturate with water or other liquid; to immerse.

            Now dam the ditches and the floods restrain; Their
            moisture has already drenched the plain. --Dryden.

Source : WordNet®

drenching
     n : the act of making something completely wet; "he gave it a
         good drenching" [syn: {soaking}, {souse}, {sousing}]