doze

¹ 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.

---

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 ² American  

[dohz] / doʊz /

verb (used with or without object)

dozed, dozing

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

---

doze British  

/ dəʊz /

verb

1. to sleep lightly or intermittently

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

---

noun

1. a short sleep

Other Word Forms

• dozer noun

Etymology

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

Origin of doze²

First recorded in 1940–45; shortened form of bulldoze

Example Sentences

I had just about dozed off when, to my surprise, Daisy came into my room.

From Literature

They took naps on Sunday to make sure they didn’t doze off.

From Los Angeles Times

I’m not sure who dozes off first, but when I wake up again, the morning sunlight is streaming through the small basement windows.

From Literature

Finally he did sleep, a shallow doze filled with nightmares.

From Literature

Orion had dozed off on a plush floor mat.

From Literature

Related Words

• drift off
• nod off
• snooze