douse

or dowse

[dous]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR douse ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), doused, dous·ing.

to plunge into water or the like; drench: She doused the clothes in soapy water.

to splash or throw water or other liquid on: The children doused each other with the hose.

to extinguish: She quickly doused the candle's flame with her fingertips.

Informal. to remove; doff.

Nautical.

to lower or take in (a sail, mast, or the like) suddenly.
to slacken (a line) suddenly.
to stow quickly.

verb (used without object), doused, dous·ing.

to plunge or be plunged into a liquid.

noun

British Dialect. a stroke or blow.

Origin of douse

First recorded in 1590–1600; origin uncertain

Can be confuseddouse dowse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for douse

Douse the whole thing with some olive oil and add Himalayan pink sea salt to taste.
Four Fatty (But Healthy!) Power Meals to Fuel Your Day|Ari Meisel|March 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was fear of cancer and a douse of hypochondria that brought me to 23andMe in the first place.
23andMe and Me: Why Policymakers Should Set the Genetic Testing Company Free|Charles C. Johnson|February 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fourteen years later, two rookie cops heard gunfire and saw a now 14-year-old Douse coming toward them, that very gun in hand.
How Bronx Teen Shaaliver Douse, Killed by Cops, Ended Up With a Gun|Michael Daly|August 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
One security guard reported that the fire extinguisher failed to work when he tried to douse the flames.
Arrests Made in Brazilian Nightclub Inferno|Mac Margolis|January 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST

The halon-based fire-suppression systems used by commercial jets in these zones are not able to douse such fires.
What Pilots Fear|Patrick Smith|September 3, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Jack was about to douse the light, but Hemming told him to let it burn on.
The Three Midshipmen|W.H.G. Kingston
"We won't trouble to douse the fire," Doctor Joe suggested presently.
Troop One of the Labrador|Dillon Wallace
“And tell Johnson to douse him with a few buckets of salt water,” he added, in a lower tone for my ear alone.
The Sea-Wolf|Jack London
Douse your tongue, ye swab, and keep your eyes p'inted for'ard!
Rick Dale, A Story of the Northwest Coast|Kirk Munroe
All you do is douse the lights and feel sure nothin's going to happen until breakfast.
The House of Torchy|Sewell Ford

British Dictionary definitions for douse

douse

dowse

verb

to plunge or be plunged into water or some other liquid; duck

(tr) to drench with water, esp in order to wash or clean

(tr) to put out (a light, candle, etc)

noun

an immersion

Derived Formsdouser or dowser, noun

Word Origin for douse

C16: perhaps related to obsolete douse to strike, of obscure origin

douse

verb (tr)

nautical to lower (sail) quickly

archaic to strike or beat

noun

archaic a blow

Word Origin for douse

C16: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to douse 1

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 douse

1550s, "to strike, punch," which is perhaps from Middle Dutch dossen "beat forcefully" or a similar Low German word.

Meaning "to strike a sail in haste" is recorded from 1620s; that of "to extinguish (a light)" is from 1785; perhaps influenced by dout (1520s), an obsolete contraction of do out (cf. doff, don). OED regards the meaning "to plunge into water, to throw water over" (c.1600) as a separate word, of unknown origin, though admitting there may be a connection of some sort. Related: Doused; dousing.

douse

or dowse

verb (used with object), doused, dous·ing.

verb (used without object), doused, dous·ing.

noun

RELATED WORDS

Origin of douse

Examples from the Web for douse

douse

dowse

verb

noun

Word Origin for douse

douse

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for douse