What Does “Drool over sth” Mean?
“Drool over sth” means to admire or show strong desire for something, often because it looks very attractive or appealing.
Introduction
The phrase “drool over sth” is a common English expression used to describe the feeling of intense admiration or desire for something, usually something visually appealing. The “sth” stands for “something,” which can be anything from food, gadgets, clothes, to people or ideas. When you “drool over” something, you figuratively show how much you like or want it, as if you are so impressed that you might start drooling like a baby. Understanding the “drool over sth” meaning helps learners add a natural and expressive phrase to their vocabulary. This phrase is informal and often used in casual conversations to express excitement or strong attraction toward an object or person.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: drool over something
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to admire or desire something strongly
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Drool over sth” is a transitive phrasal verb. It is inseparable, so you cannot put the object between “drool” and “over.”
- Correct: She drools over new smartphones.
- Incorrect: She drools new smartphones over.
Pattern: Subject + drool over + something
How to Use “Drool over sth”?
You use “drool over sth” when you want to describe someone admiring or strongly wanting something. It is often used with things that look delicious, attractive, or desirable. For example, you might drool over a fancy cake, a stylish dress, or a new car. It is mostly informal and used in spoken English or casual writing.
Examples
People often talk about “drooling over” delicious food or cool gadgets.
- She was drooling over the chocolate cake in the bakery window.
- He always drools over the latest gaming consoles.
- Fans drooled over the new smartphone’s sleek design.
- I’m drooling over those shoes you bought—they look amazing!
- They drooled over the luxury cars at the auto show.
These examples show “drool over sth in a sentence” used naturally to express admiration or desire.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the word order or use the phrase in the wrong context.
- Incorrect: I drool the cake over.
- Correct: I drool over the cake.
- Incorrect: She drools over to the new phone.
- Correct: She drools over the new phone.
Remember, “drool over” is inseparable, and the object always comes after “over.”
Differences / Synonyms
“Drool over sth” is similar to phrases like “fawn over sth” or “ogle sth,” but there are slight differences.
- Fawn over: To show excessive admiration or flattery, usually toward a person.
- Ogle: To look at something or someone with strong interest, often in a way that is considered rude.
- Drool over: To admire or desire something eagerly, often with excitement or delight.
While “fawn over” and “ogle” mostly refer to people, “drool over” is often used with objects or food.
Common Collocations
When using “drool over,” people usually talk about things that are visually tempting or desirable.
- Food: cake, chocolate, pizza
- Technology: smartphones, gadgets, laptops
- Fashion: shoes, dresses, accessories
- Cars: sports cars, luxury cars
These are common objects people “drool over” because of their appeal.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of drool over sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “drool over sth” naturally:
Anna: Have you seen the new bakery downtown?
Mark: Yes! I was drooling over their chocolate croissants yesterday.
Anna: Me too. They look so delicious!
Practice
Try to complete the sentence with the correct phrase:
- I always _________ the latest smartphones before buying one.
a) drool over
b) drool on
c) drool at - She was _________ the designer shoes in the shop window.
a) drooling over
b) drooling in
c) drooling for
FAQs
- What does “drool over sth” mean?
It means to admire or strongly desire something. - Is “drool over sth” formal or informal?
It is informal and mostly used in casual conversations. - Can I say “drool over a person”?
Yes, but usually it’s used to admire objects or food rather than people. - Is “drool over” separable?
No, the object always comes after “over.” - What are some synonyms for “drool over sth”?
Admire, fawn over, ogle (though each has different connotations).
