douse

Or dowse

[dous]

verb (used with object)

doused, dousing 

1. to plunge into water or the like; drench.

   She doused the clothes in soapy water.

2. to splash or throw water or other liquid on.

   The children doused each other with the hose.

3. to extinguish.

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

4. Informal.,  to remove; doff.

5. Nautical.

   1. to lower or take in (a sail, mast, or the like) suddenly.

   2. to slacken (a line) suddenly.

   3. to stow quickly.

verb (used without object)

doused, dousing 

1. to plunge or be plunged into a liquid.

noun

1. British Dialect.,  a stroke or blow.

douse

¹

/ daʊs /

verb

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

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

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

noun

1. an immersion

douse

²

/ daʊs /

verb

1. nautical to lower (sail) quickly

2. archaic,  to strike or beat

noun

1. archaic,  a blow

Other Word Forms

• douser noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of douse¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of douse¹

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

Origin of douse²

C16: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to _douse ¹

Example Sentences

As a result, the blaze reignited in some places after being doused, they said.

Read more on BBC

Firefighters continued to douse the building with water to cool the structure and prevent embers from re-igniting.

Read more on Barron's

“As a quarterback you have to take what they give you — and Jaylin did that,” said Gerard, whose players doused him with ice water after the awards ceremony.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She recalled how the Incorrigibles still preferred their meat cooked quite rare and doused with ketchup; perhaps the sandwiches had only been an occasional treat during their formative years.

Read more on Literature

Boniol, who won the Super Bowl as a kicker for the Cowboys, would douse them with water and toss them into the dryer.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• deluge 
• drown 
• put out 
• quench 
• saturate 
• smother 
• snuff out 
• soak 
• splash 
• submerge 
• wet