“浸没”常见的英文表达有 immerse、submerge、drown(侧重于被液体完全覆盖且可能产生不利后果的情况) 等,具体使用哪个词取决于语境:
immerse:强调将物体完全放入液体中,使其被液体包围,常带有主动、有目的的意味,也可用于比喻沉浸在某种活动或状态中。例如:
Immerse the cloth in the dye solution for 10 minutes.(将布浸入染料溶液中10分钟。)
She immersed herself in her work.(她全身心投入工作。)
submerge:侧重于描述物体被水或其他液体完全淹没,常表示一种被动的状态。例如:
The submarine submerged to avoid detection.(潜艇下潜以避免被发现。)
Much of the low-lying land was submerged by the flood.(许多低洼地带被洪水淹没。)
drown:原义指“淹死;溺死”,也可引申为“使浸没在液体中”,不过该词使用时往往带有一种可能带来不利后果或危险的语境。例如:
The rain was so heavy that the streets were drowned in water.(雨下得很大,街道都被水淹没了 。)