Standard Lemma guide

douse

name · noun · verb · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • daus
  • /daʊs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊs
  • CMU ARPABET: D AW1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A sudden plunging into water.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A blow or strike, especially to the face.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To fall suddenly into water.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To put out; to extinguish.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To strike, beat, or thrash.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To strike or lower in haste; to slacken suddenly

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: nautical, transport

Examples

  • Douse the topsail!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

cover with liquid; pour liquid onto

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • souse water on his hot face

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drench, dowse, soak, sop, souse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wet

Narrower terms: brine, bedraggle, draggle, bate, ret, sluice, flush

10

verb

Meaning 10

slacken

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • douse a rope

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dowse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: slacken, remit

11

verb

Meaning 11

lower quickly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • douse a sail

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: roll up, furl

12

verb

Meaning 12

immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • dip the garment into the cleaning solution
  • dip the brush into the paint

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dunk, dip, souse, plunge

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: immerse, plunge

Narrower terms: sop, dip, douse, duck, dabble

13

verb

Meaning 13

dip into a liquid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He dipped into the pool

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dip, duck

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dunk, dip, souse, plunge, douse

14

verb

Meaning 14

wet thoroughly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dowse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wet

15

verb

Meaning 15

put out, as of a candle or a light

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Douse the lights

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: put out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: snuff out, blow out, extinguish, quench

History

Etymology

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

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

Across languages

Translations

42 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: потапям (potapjam) — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Bulgarian: намокрям (namokrjam) — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Czech: ponořit — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Czech: smočit — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Dutch: onderduiken — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Dutch: onderdompelen — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Finnish: kastaa — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Finnish: upottaa — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • French: immerger — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • German: plötzlich untertauchen — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • German: plötzlich wegtauchen — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • German: plötzlich abtauchen — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Māori: rumaki — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Portuguese: imergir — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Romanian: muia — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Russian: окуна́ть (okunátʹ) — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Russian: окуну́ть (okunútʹ) — plunge suddenly into water; duck; immerse
  • Finnish: pudota veteen — fall suddenly into water
  • German: plumpsen — fall suddenly into water
  • German: platschen — fall suddenly into water
  • Bulgarian: гася (gasja) — put out; extinguish
  • Czech: uhasit — put out; extinguish
  • Dutch: doven — put out; extinguish
  • Dutch: uitdoen — put out; extinguish
  • Dutch: uitdoven — put out; extinguish
  • Finnish: sammuttaa — put out; extinguish
  • German: löschen — put out; extinguish
  • German: auslöschen — put out; extinguish
  • Māori: toutou — put out; extinguish
  • Māori: tinei — put out; extinguish
  • Russian: туши́ть (tušítʹ) — put out; extinguish
  • Russian: потуши́ть (potušítʹ) — put out; extinguish
  • Russian: гаси́ть (gasítʹ) — put out; extinguish
  • Russian: погаси́ть (pogasítʹ) — put out; extinguish
  • Russian: облива́ть (oblivátʹ) — put out; extinguish
  • Russian: обли́ть (oblítʹ) — put out; extinguish
  • Spanish: apagar — put out; extinguish
  • Spanish: extinguir — put out; extinguish
  • Spanish: aplacar — put out; extinguish
  • Finnish: vetäistä alas — strike or lower in haste; slacken suddenly
  • German: schnell herunterlassen — strike or lower in haste; slacken suddenly
  • German: unvermittelt fallen lassen — strike or lower in haste; slacken suddenly