soak up the sun

Meaning

To 'soak up the sun' means to sit or lie in the sun and thoroughly enjoy its warmth and light. It carries a strong connotation of relaxation, leisure, and taking your time, often associated with beach holidays or park picnics. It is a casual, evocative phrase used when you want to emphasize enjoying good weather.

Examples

• We spent the entire afternoon just soaking up the sun on the deck of the boat.

  We spent the entire afternoon just soaking up the sun on the deck of the boat.

• I can't wait to get to Greece, lie on the beach, and soak up some sun.

  I can't wait to get to Greece, lie on the beach, and soak up some sun.

• Instead of going to museums, we decided to sit in the park and soak up the sun.

  Instead of going to museums, we decided to sit in the park and soak up the sun.

• After a long, cold winter, everyone was out in the garden soaking up the sun.

  After a long, cold winter, everyone was out in the garden soaking up the sun.

• Make sure to wear sunscreen while you're out there soaking up the sun.

  Make sure to wear sunscreen while you're out there soaking up the sun.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I want to drink the sun on the beach.

  ✓ I want to soak up the sun on the beach.

  Do not translate literally from languages that use 'drink' or 'take' the sun. English uses the phrasal verb 'soak up' or 'catch'.

• ✗ We soaked down the sun all day.

  ✓ We soaked up the sun all day.

  The phrasal verb is strictly 'soak up', meaning to absorb like a sponge.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We found a quiet spot on the beach to lie down and ___.

  💡 To absorb the warmth of the sunshine.

  Show answer

  soak up the sun

• After months of rain, it felt amazing to just sit outside and ___ some sun.

  💡 The two-word phrasal verb meaning to absorb.

  Show answer

  soak up