/ uːz; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
ooze from / out of / through sth | ooze out | ooze (with) sth if a thick liquid oozes from a place, or if sth oozes a thick liquid, the liquid flows from the place slowly :
[ v ]
Blood oozed out of the wound.
an ugly swelling oozing with pus
[ vn ]
The wound was oozing blood.
a plate of toast oozing butter
2.
ooze (with) sth if sb/sth oozes a particular characteristic, quality, etc., they show it strongly
SYN exude :
[ vn ]
She walked into the party oozing confidence.
[ v ]
His voice oozed with sex appeal.
■ noun
1.
[ U ] very soft mud, especially at the bottom of a lake or river
2.
[ sing. ] the very slow flow of a thick liquid
► oozy adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb and noun sense 2 Old English wōs juice or sap ; the verb dates from late Middle English .
noun sense 1 Old English wāse ; related to Old Norse veisa stagnant pool. In Middle English and the 16th cent. the spelling was wose (rhyming with repose ), but from 1550 spellings imply a change in pronunciation and influence by ooze (verb).