Question

When cotton clothing is permeated, or soaked through, with water, it stays wet and can freeze in cold weather.

Based on context clues in the sentence, what is the most likely meaning of permeated?

Answer 1

"Permeated" most likely means "soaked through" or "saturated" — i.e., the water has penetrated throughout the fabric. The sentence says clothing is "soaked through with water" and therefore stays wet and can freeze, so permeated = thoroughly penetrated by liquid.