douse

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

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.

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

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

1. (transitive, intransitive) To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse.
2. (intransitive) To fall suddenly into water.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Hudibras to this entry?)

3. (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.

douse (plural douses)

1. 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.

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.

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

1. (transitive) To strike.
2. (transitive, nautical) To strike or lower in haste; to slacken suddenly

   Douse the topsail!

douse (plural douses)

1. A blow; stroke.

• oused

douse

1. Alternative form of douce