/ heɪz; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C , U ] air that is difficult to see through because it contains very small drops of water, especially caused by hot weather :
a heat haze
2.
[ sing. ] air containing sth that makes it difficult to see through it :
a haze of smoke / dust / steam
3.
[ sing. ] a mental state in which your thoughts, feelings, etc. are not clear :
an alcoholic haze
■ verb
1.
[ v , vn ] to become covered or to cover sth in a haze
2.
[ vn ] ( NAmE ) to play tricks on sb, especially a new student, or to give them very unpleasant things to do, sometimes as a condition for entering a fraternity or sorority
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WORD ORIGIN
verb sense 1 and noun early 18th cent. (originally denoting fog or hoar frost): probably a back-formation from hazy .
verb sense 2 late 17th cent. (originally Scots and dialect in the sense frighten, scold, or beat ): perhaps related to obsolete French haser tease or insult.