DROWN

(COVER) [verb] - to cover or be covered, esp. with a liquidA whole village was drowned (= covered with water) when the valley was made into a reservoir. [T](disapproving) He drowned his food (= covered it completely) in/with tomato sauce. [T](figurative) The noise of drilling drowned (out) (= covered) the sound of the telephone. [T or M](figurative informal) I'm drowning in (= I've got too many) unmarked exam papers. [I]