(also dowse ) / daʊs; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
douse sth (with sth) to stop a fire from burning by pouring water over it; to put out a light
2.
douse sb/sth (in / with sth) to pour a lot of liquid over sb/sth; to soak sb/sth in liquid :
The car was doused in petrol and set alight.
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: perhaps imitative, influenced by souse , or perhaps from dialect douse strike, beat , from Middle Dutch and Low German dossen .