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Glite Dictionary
to drool over

to drool over

14 6.8
To look at someone or something while wanting to have it very much
  • phrasal verb
  • /druːl ˈoʊvər/
  • Informal
translation icon : babear por
  • I can't help but drool over the new sports car as it drives by.
  • drool over the guy
  • drool over women
  • drool over pictures

You know, I like my Razor Blade Stealth and all, but I'm also a giant nerd and always drooling over the next big thing, so I wouldn't mind upgrading it.

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Examples

  • The children were drooling over the mouthwatering desserts in the bakery window.

  • She is always drooling over the latest fashion trends online.

  • And by looking at, I mean, drooling over, oh, it's so beautiful.

  • Did you see how they were drooling over you?

    Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)

  • And here I was drooling over this... man.

    Bit (2019)

  • I am used to guys drooling over me.

    American Beauty (1999)

  • But it's the promise of the story that really has me drooling over the next big announcement.

    Blog text (17)

  • I mean, I am drooling over the recipes in this book.

  • I'm sick of watching you drool over her every day.

    Coffee Town (2013)

  • The way he's been drooling over you all morning.

    October Moon (2005)

Synonyms

to salivate
vsto drool over
  • Informal
11 6.1

To feel very eager or excited about something

is more about visible looking or reacting than internal excitement
to ogle
vsto drool over
  • Offensive
7 7.9

To look at someone in a strong, often sexual way that may make them feel uncomfortable

is broader, covering strong admiration not only sexual looking
to gush over
vsto drool over
4 7.0

Praise a person or thing in a very excited way

is used more for visual longing or desire than verbal praise
to slobber over
vsto drool over
  • Informal
1 8.6

To want something or someone very much and show it in an obvious way

is similar but often expresses longing without such obvious embarrassment

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to disregard
119 3.9

Ignore something or someone on purpose

How Eager

to yearn
92 4.9
to drool over
  • Informal
14 6.8
to want
∞ 1.0
to like
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

drool over infinitive
drooled over past
drooled over past participle
drooling over present participle
drools over third person singular

Morphology

drool + over

The meaning is directly obtainable from combining 'drool' (literally or figuratively to show eager desire) with the directional particle 'over' (targeting something), so a learner who knows both words can infer that it means to gaze at or desire something strongly. This metaphor (salivate/drool for desire) is common cross-linguistically (e.g., Spanish 'babear por', French 'baver sur'), increasing predictability for B1 learners.

Etymology

The phrasal verb drool over comes from the clear image of someone letting drool fall from their mouth when they see tasty food or something they really want, and the word over points to the thing they are looking at. So, drool over now means 'to look at something with strong desire or admiration'.