Definition

1. Noun:

   • The sound or action of liquid falling in drops: Refers to the noise or process of a liquid falling slowly, one drop at a time.
   • Fat and juices that come out of meat during cooking: Specifically, the flavorful liquid fat and juices that render from roasting meat.

2. Adjective:

   • Extremely wet; so wet that liquid is falling off: Describes something that is thoroughly soaked or saturated with liquid.

3. Adverb:

   • Extremely; very: Used as an intensifier before adjectives like 'wet' to mean 'thoroughly' or 'completely'.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Sound/Action):
  • The constant dripping from the leaky faucet kept me awake.
  • We placed a bucket under the pipe to catch the dripping.
• Noun (Cooking):
  • Use the hot dripping from the roast to make gravy.
  • The recipe calls for a tablespoon of beef dripping.
• Adjective:
  • After the storm, his hair was dripping and his clothes clung to him.
  • She held out a dripping umbrella before entering the house.
• Adverb:
  • He came in from the rain, dripping wet.
  • The clothes on the line were still dripping wet an hour after the downpour.

Advanced Usage

• "Dripping with" (figurative): To be covered or abundantly supplied with something, often used for abstract qualities.
  • The film is dripping with nostalgia for the 1980s.
  • Her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she congratulated him.

Variants and Related Words

• Drip (verb/noun): The base form. As a verb: to fall or let fall in drops. As a noun: a drop of liquid; the sound or action of dripping.
  • Water began to drip from the ceiling.
  • The steady drip of the IV was calming.
• Drippy (adjective, informal): Tending to drip; overly sentimental or emotional.
  • The seal was bad, making the bottle drippy.
  • I find those romantic movies a bit too drippy for my taste.

Synonyms

• Noun (sound): Dribble, trickle, drop.
• Noun (fat): Renderings, grease, fat.
• Adjective: Soaked, sodden, drenched, saturated.
• Adverb: Soaking, thoroughly, completely.

Related Phrases

• Drip-dry: (of fabric or clothing) designed to dry quickly and without wrinkles when hung up wet.
  • These shirts are drip-dry, so they're perfect for traveling.
• Drip feed: To administer a liquid (or information, money) slowly and continuously.
  • The patient was drip-fed nutrients. (Literal)
  • The company drip-fed details about the new product to build hype. (Figurative)

Related Idioms

• Dripping in diamonds/jewels: Wearing a very large amount of expensive jewelry.
  • She arrived at the premiere dripping in diamonds.
• Make someone's mouth drip: To cause someone to salivate or desire something intensely.
  • The aroma of baking bread made his mouth drip.

Adverb

1. extremely wet
   • dripping wet
   • soaking wet

Noun

1. the sound of a liquid falling drop by drop
   • the constant sound of dripping irritated him
2. a liquid (as water) that flows in drops (as from the eaves of house)