From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdrowndrown /draʊn/ ●●○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]MXTTW to die from being under water for too long, or to kill someone in this way Many people drowned when the boat overturned. Jane was drowned in the river.drown yourself Depressed, Peter tried to drown himself.2 (also drown out) [transitive]C if a loud noise drowns out another sound, it prevents it from being heard A train blew its whistle and drowned his voice. The noise of the battle was drowned out by his aircraft’s engine.3 [transitive]COVERLIQUID to cover something, especially food, with more liquid than is necessary or nicedrown something in something The fish was drowned in a rich sauce.4 [intransitive, transitive] to have a very strong feeling or a serious problem that is difficult to deal withdrown in Relief agencies are drowning in frustration. The country is drowning in debt.5 → drown your sorrows→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
drown• He was shipping water at a furious rate and could plainly see that he was drowning.• I was almost drowned a dozen times; was nearly boiled alive and just missed being cremated.• He nearly drowned before friends rescued him.• She let him drown her in the deep water, too weak even to raise her hands to cling to him.• I mean, she's rejected by the man she loves and drowns herself rather than live without him.• He accused his brother of trying to drown him.• The country is drowning in debt.• I was drowned in the Old Woman Fork at the age of twenty-nine.• The tears rolling off her chin on to her fingers, she sang louder; drowning out her other noises.• The floods drowned scores of livestock.• Maurus saved the young Placid from drowning, which may or may not explain bis patronage.drown yourself• A girl had murdered two small children whom she was babysitting for, and had then drowned herself.• He had tried to save one of his sheep from drowning in the river, and he drowned himself.• He was drowning himself in booze and self-pity.• Beware, however, of drowning yourself in pages of notes.• But one night Hilda drowned herself in the lake, just as she had threatened to do.• Should I drown myself in the Vistula?• She must not drown herself, it said.• I mean, she's rejected by the man she loves and drowns herself rather than live without him.Origin drown (1200-1300) Probably from a Scandinavian language 