variants
or less commonly dowse
doused also dowsed; dousing also dowsing
1
: to plunge into water
Blanch the green beans then douse them in a bath of ice water.
2
3
[originally in argot use (douse the glim meaning "extinguish the light") and perhaps of distinct origin]
: extinguish
douse the lights
douse the blaze
: to fall or become plunged into water
douser
noun
or less commonly dowser
doused; dousing
Examples of douse in a Sentence
Verb (1)
in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors
Noun (2)
those soccer hooligans need a sound douse or two from a police officer's club
Recent Examples on the Web
Ella Lee, The Hill, 28 May 2025
In the victorious postgame locker room on Monday, Klee was doused with a tub of water, as has become a standard practice when celebrating a title.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
The commission’s members also called for prioritizing additional water storage capacity in neighborhoods, and systems with external sprinklers to douse homes, parks and schools.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for douse
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Verb
Minutes after the jury selection process concluded, Azzarello doused himself in liquid from a canister held above his head and lit a flame.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 28 May 2025
In the victorious postgame locker room on Monday, Klee was doused with a tub of water, as has become a standard practice when celebrating a title.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
Noun
And his sense of humor douses jest over images that probably shouldn’t be funny.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
The commission’s members also called for prioritizing additional water storage capacity in neighborhoods, and systems with external sprinklers to douse homes, parks and schools.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for douse
Cite this Entry
“Douse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/douse. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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