What does drooled mean?
"Drooled" is the past tense of the informal verb "drool," which has two closely linked meanings. Literally, it describes saliva running from the mouth — a natural occurrence in babies who are teething, dogs anticipating food, or anyone asleep in an awkward position. Figuratively, it extends this image to human appetite: a person who "drooled over" a sports car, a designer handbag, or a celebrity is expressing intense, almost ungovernable desire or admiration. The figurative use is vivid and slightly comic, often tinged with teasing condescension, as it implies the admirer has lost composure entirely. The word's ultimate origin is uncertain, though it emerged in English during the seventeenth century and may be related to "drivel." Because it pairs naturally with "over" and lends itself to humorous exaggeration, "drooled" remains a staple of everyday speech, journalism, and advertising copy.
verb"Drooled" is the simple past tense and past participle of "drool," meaning to let saliva run from the mouth, or figuratively to show excessive desire or admiration for something.
- To allow saliva to flow uncontrollably from the mouth.
- To display eager, uncontrolled desire or admiration for someone or something.
"The baby drooled all over his bib while teething."
"The toddler drooled on her shoulder as he fell asleep."
"Collectors drooled over the rare first edition in the auction catalogue."
Babies do it, dogs do it, and so did English speakers by the 1600s — but the word's origins are so murky that lexicographers still can't agree where "drool" came from.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of drooled
The verb "drool" first appears in written English in the early seventeenth century, but its deeper origins remain genuinely obscure — etymologists have proposed links to "drivel" and to dialectal words for dripping or slavering without settling the matter definitively. What is clear is that the word spread from colloquial use into standard English, developing its figurative sense of coveting something eagerly alongside its literal one. It shares semantic territory with "drivel" and "dribble," though these are separate lexical items rather than direct derivatives.
Related word forms
How drooled is actually used
"Drool" is informal in both literal and figurative senses; the literal sense is common in describing babies, pets, or sleeping people, while the figurative sense often carries a tone of mockery toward someone's excessive enthusiasm. The spelling "drooled" is standard; British informal variants like "drivelled" overlap in meaning but are distinct words.
Easily confused with drooled
"Drolled" is an archaic word meaning joked or bantered, whereas "drooled" means let saliva flow or gushed with desire.