General Definitions:
* To immerse in liquid: This is the most common meaning of "soak". It refers to submerging something completely in water or another liquid, often to clean, soften, or extract something.
* To absorb liquid: This refers to a material absorbing liquid, like a sponge soaking up water.
* To permeate: This meaning refers to something spreading throughout a substance, like rain soaking into the ground.
Figurative Meanings:
* To take in completely: This refers to absorbing knowledge, information, or experiences, like "soaking up the sun" or "soaking up the atmosphere".
* To become very wet: This is a more informal meaning, often used to describe someone who is completely drenched.
Examples:
* "I need to soak the beans overnight before cooking them." (Immerse in liquid)
* "The sponge soaked up all the spilled water." (Absorb liquid)
* "The rain soaked into the dry ground." (Permeate)
* "He was soaking up the sun on the beach." (Take in completely)
* "I got soaked walking home in the rain." (Become very wet)
To understand the specific meaning of "soak" in a sentence, you need to consider the context and the surrounding words.