核心畫面

One way to hold this word: think of a sponge that has taken in all the water it can hold. Nothing more will go in, so the extra water just sits there. The sponge is still a sponge, but it is heavy, soft, and it cannot do its job. Whatever waterlogged describes — a field, a boat, a pair of shoes — is in that state: full past its limit, and out of action because of it.

可以想成一塊已經吸到不能再吸的海綿。水再倒下去也進不去,只能留在表面。海綿還是海綿,但是變重、變軟,也擠不出用處了。更多收起可以想成一塊已經吸到不能再吸的海綿。水再倒下去也進不去,只能留在表面。海綿還是海綿,但是變重、變軟,也擠不出用處了。waterlogged 形容的東西都停在這個狀態:吸飽了水,然後失去原本的功能。不管講的是操場、木頭,還是一艘船,畫面都一樣——不是「濕」,是「滿到不能用」。

From the word’s history

The packet source gives only: waterlogged is waterlog plus -ed, so it names the state of having had water let in.

來源資料只說 waterlogged 是 waterlog 加上 -ed,也就是「被灌進水」的狀態。這條線索雖然簡單,方向卻和現在的用法一致:重點一直是水進到裡面去,不是表面淋濕。

Wiktionary etymology supplied in this packet: From waterlog + -ed.

Two branches

吸飽水而不能用

這一組最貼近核心畫面:東西把水吸進去,吸到滿,然後失去功能。地面和物品都走同一條路。

adjective · B2

If ground is waterlogged, it holds so much water that it has gone soft and muddy and cannot be used — you cannot walk on it, plant in it, or play a game on it.

泡水的;積水的

船裡灌滿水,快沉了

船的情況是同一個畫面加上一個後果:水該在外面卻跑到裡面,船被自己載的水壓住,接下來就是沉。

adjective · B2

A waterlogged boat has taken in so much water that it sits low, is hard to move, and may sink.

(船)進水的