Variant: also dowse
Pronunciation: ' dau ̇ s also ' dau ̇ z
Function: verb
Inflected Form: doused also dowsed ; dous · ing also dows · ing
Etymology: perhaps from obsolete English douse to smite
Date: 1600
transitive verb
1 : to plunge into water
2 a : to throw a liquid on : DRENCH b : SLOSH
3 : EXTINGUISH < douse the lights>
intransitive verb : to fall or become plunged into water
– dous · er also dows · er noun