US /ˈsɑ.dən/ UK /ˈsɒ.dən/
adj Freq #63915

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    Soaked or drenched with liquid; soggy, saturated.

    It is found, indeed, that meat, roaſted by a fire of peat or turf, is more ſodden than when coal is employed for that purpoſe.

  2. 2
    adj

    Boiled.

    The thirde [drynke] is of that kinde of hony named Pechmes, whiche is made of newe wine sodden, vntill the third parte be boyled awaye […].

  3. 3
    adj

    Drunk; stupid as a result of drunkenness.

    1595, George Peele, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Malone Society Reprints, 1908, line 560, You whoreson sodden headed sheepes-face […].

  4. 4
    adj

    Dull, expressionless (of a person’s appearance).

    Remoue and march, soft and faire Gentlemen, soft and faire: double your files, as you were, faces about. Now you with the sodden face, keepe in there […].

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · soaked or drenched with... dopping
3 adj · drunk; stupid as a result... drunk
4 adj · dull, expressionless (of a... blankstonefaced
Word family
Forms soddened
Derived forms soddenlysoddennessunsodden

Etymology

From Middle English sodden, soden, from Old English soden, ġesoden, from Proto-Germanic *sudanaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *seuþaną (“to seethe; boil”). Cognate with West Frisian sean, Dutch gezoden (“seethed, boiled”) (related to Dutch zode (“swampy land”)), Low German saden, söddt, German gesotten, Swedish sjuden, Icelandic soðinn. More at seethe.

Topics

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