Presoak

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To immerse laundry, dishes or other items in water or a cleaning solution before the main wash begins
2. To steep an item in liquid ahead of its primary cleaning so that dirt and stains loosen beforehand
3. Soaking soiled material in water or detergent in advance to loosen grime before the regular washing step

Etymology: "Presoak" is a plain compound: the prefix "pre-", meaning "before," attached to "soak," so it names the act of soaking something in advance of the main process. The prefix traces back through Latin "prae," meaning "before" or "in front of," which descends from the same ancient root that gave English "pre" and "prior" their senses of coming first. "Soak" is the older and more interesting half of the pair, since it has been part of English for centuries as a word for steeping something in liquid until it is thoroughly wet. The new arrival is the prefix, which English writers have used freely since the Latin-derived forms came in, so that a laundry, a kitchen, or a recipe can call for a step that happens before the real soak begins.

Synonyms: steep, soak