douse

See also: Douse

English

Pronunciation

enPR: daus, IPA^(key): /daʊs/
Rhymes: -aʊs

Etymology 1

Probably of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish dunsa (“to plumb down, fall clumsily”), Danish dunse (“to thump”). Compare Old English dwǣscan (“to extinguish”) and douse below.

Alternative forms

dowse, douze, douce, dause (all obsolete or nonstandard)

Verb

douse (third-person singular simple present douses, present participle dousing, simple past and past participle doused)

(transitive, intransitive) To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse.
(intransitive) To fall suddenly into water.
(Can we find and add a quotation of Hudibras to this entry?)
(transitive) To put out; to extinguish.
- 1999, Arthur D. Jacobs, The Prison Called Hohenasperg
  The man who doused the fire was told to put the remainder of the coal into the bucket and then give the bucket to the soldier.

Translations

plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse

Bulgarian: потапям (bg) (potapjam), намокрям (bg) (namokrjam)
Dutch: onderduiken (nl), onderdompelen (nl)
Finnish: kastaa (fi), upottaa (fi)
French: immerger (fr)

Portuguese: imergir (pt)
Romanian: muia (ro)
Russian: окуна́ть (ru) impf (okunátʹ), окуну́ть (ru) pf (okunútʹ)

fall suddenly into water

Finnish: pudota veteen

put out; extinguish

Bulgarian: гася (bg) (gasja)
Dutch: doven (nl), uitdoen (nl), uitdoven (nl)
Finnish: sammuttaa (fi)

Maori: toutou
Russian: (extinguish) туши́ть (ru) impf (tušítʹ), потуши́ть (ru) pf (potušítʹ), гаси́ть (ru) impf (gasítʹ), погаси́ть (ru) pf (pogasítʹ), (pour water) облива́ть (ru) impf (oblivátʹ), обли́ть (ru) pf (oblítʹ)
Spanish: apagar (es), extinguir (es)

Noun

douse (plural douses)

A sudden plunging into water.
- 1911, Cyphers Series on Practical Poultry Keeping (issue 1, page 74)
  In winter a douse in cold water helps the looks and adds to the style of the carcass, but they should be thoroughly dried before packing.

Etymology 2

From Middle English duschen, dusshen (“to rush, fall”), related to Norwegian dusa (“to break, cast down from”), Old Dutch doesen (“to beat, strike”), German dialectal tusen, dusen (“to strike, run against, collide”), Saterland Frisian dössen (“to strike”). Compare doss, dust.

Verb

douse (third-person singular simple present douses, present participle dousing, simple past and past participle doused)

(transitive) To strike.
(transitive, nautical) To strike or lower in haste; to slacken suddenly
Douse the topsail!

Translations

strike or lower in haste; slacken suddenly

Finnish: vetäistä alas

Noun

douse (plural douses)

A blow; stroke.

Anagrams

oused

Middle English

Noun

douse

Alternative form of douce