The process of experiencing respiratory impairment due to submersion in liquid, typically resulting in death. Can also refer metaphorically to being overwhelmed by circumstances.
From Middle English drounen, related to Old Norse drukna meaning 'to be drowned'. The word evolved from describing the specific act of suffocating in water to broader metaphorical uses of being overwhelmed or inundated.
Drowning is surprisingly quiet - the dramatic splashing we see in movies is largely myth, as real drowning victims often can't call for help because their mouths keep going underwater. The 'drowning not waving' phenomenon has become a metaphor for recognizing when someone needs help but can't explicitly ask for it.
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