doze

¹ American  

[dohz] / doʊz /

verb (used with or without object)

dozed, dozing

1. Informal. to clear or level with a bulldozer.

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doze ² American  

[dohz] / doʊz /

verb (used without object)

dozed, dozing

1. to sleep lightly or fitfully.

2. to fall into a light sleep unintentionally (often followed byoff ).

   He dozed off during the sermon.

3. to sleep for a short time; nap.

4. to be dull or half asleep.

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verb (used with object)

dozed, dozing

1. to pass or spend (time) in drowsiness (often followed byaway ).

   He dozed away the afternoon.

noun

1. a light or fitful sleep; nap.

   Synonyms:

   forty winks, catnap, siesta, snooze

doze British  

/ dəʊz /

verb

1. to sleep lightly or intermittently

2. (often foll by off) to fall into a light sleep

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noun

1. a short sleep

Other Word Forms

• dozer noun

Etymology

Origin of doze¹

First recorded in 1940–45; shortened form of bulldoze

Origin of doze¹

1640–50; originally (now obsolete) to stupefy, make drowsy; compare Scots, N England dialect dozened, Middle English ( Scots ) dosnyt, dosinnit stupefied, dazed; akin to Old Norse dūsa rest, Swedish dialect dusa doze, slumber, Middle Low German dusen to be thoughtless; daze

Example Sentences

Instances where he appears to be dozing off are just moments of relaxation, he said.

From Barron's

Cameras caught him appearing to doze in December at a cabinet meeting and during a November announcement about reducing the cost of weight-loss medication.

From The Wall Street Journal

The crowd of 300-400 clutch the branded hats and flags they've been given, but soon wilt in the afternoon heat, some dozing off.

From BBC

Teenagers and street dogs dozed in the sun.

From Los Angeles Times

The princess tended to doze in her chair for much of the day, which meant she was often awake late at night, playing solitaire alone in her room.

From Literature

Related Words

• drift off
• nod off
• snooze