dote
[doht]
- to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually (usually followed by on or upon): They dote on their youngest daughter.
- to show a decline of mental faculties, especially associated with old age.
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- decay of wood.
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Origin of dote
1175–1225; Middle English doten to behave foolishly, become feeble-minded; cognate with Middle Dutch doten.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for doted
Contemporary Examples
Long divorced, he doted on his grown children and guarded his solitude.
Pal Rich Collins says Nancy doted on Adam but was terribly sad that her son never “hugged her back.”
Historical Examples
I married a lady of wealth and affluence, one I loved and doted on.
An OutcastF. Colburn Adams
To crown their happiness, they were blessed with two lovely children on whom they doted.
Among the SiouxR. J. Creswell
He was the best man that ever—pard, you would have doted on that man.
Roughing ItMark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
How she doted on him because he considered his present state to be a purgatory!
The Belton EstateAnthony Trollope
It was dreadful of me, I know, to think of it, but I knew he doted on me.
The Riddle of the Mysterious LightMary E. Hanshew
dote
now rarely doat
- (foll by on or upon) to love to an excessive or foolish degree
- to be foolish or weak-minded, esp as a result of old age
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Word Origin
C13: related to Middle Dutch doten to be silly, Norwegian dudra to shake
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for doted
dote
v.
c.1200, "to be feeble-minded from age," from Middle Low German doten "be foolish," of unknown origin. Meaning "to be infatuated" is from late 15c. Related: Doted; dotes; doting.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper