doze

¹

[ dohz ]

verb (used without object)

, dozed, doz·ing.

1. to sleep lightly or fitfully.
2. to fall into a light sleep unintentionally (often followed by off ):

   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, doz·ing.

1. to pass or spend (time) in drowsiness (often followed by away ):

   He dozed away the afternoon.

noun

1. a light or fitful sleep; nap.

   Synonyms: forty winks, catnap, siesta, snooze

doze

²

[ dohz ]

verb (used with or without object)

, dozed, doz·ing.

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

doze

/ dəʊz /

verb

1. to sleep lightly or intermittently
2. often foll by off to fall into a light sleep

noun

1. a short sleep

Derived Forms

• ˈdozer, noun

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of doze¹

C17: probably from Old Norse dūs lull; related to Danish döse to drowse, Swedish dialect dusa slumber

Example Sentences

When you doze off, you’re inherently vulnerable, so your body needs to be able to respond to potential threats.

From Popular-Science

That means if you nap on the sofa, you might associate it with rest and doze off when you don’t actually want to do so, says Deirdre Conroy, who leads the behavioral sleep medicine clinic at the University of Michigan.

From Popular-Science

The tracking is detailed, too, covering how long it takes you to doze off, and the time you spent in light, deep, and REM sleep.

From Popular-Science

He says he actually got some dozing done once it was his break time.

From Popular-Science

The Eureka Camp cot cradles you just enough to keep you in place while you doze off, which I found limits my tossing and turning through the night.

From Outside Online

Usually Mom would doze off at this point, opening an eye to catch only what she found pertinent.

From The Daily Beast

The room was kept in a sort of twilight all day long, and made it pleasant for the new-born baby and his mamma to doze and dream.

From Project Gutenberg

And asked me if I would excuse her falling into a doze, for she never felt well without it.

From Project Gutenberg

One and then another fell into a doze; Sivert Jespersen also closed his eyes, but not in sleep.

From Project Gutenberg

This would suit Kennedy capitally, and musing on the meeting of the morrow, he sank into a doze in the armchair.

From Project Gutenberg

When I could not otherwise occupy my mind, I endeavoured to force myself into a doze, that I might have a chance of a dream.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• drift off
• nod off
• snooze