douse
Preserved but no longer current.
To put out; "DOUSE that glim," put out that candle. In Norfolk this expression is DOUT, which is clearly for DO OUT. Sometimes DOUSE means to rinse; and sometimes to throw water, clean or dirty, over any one, is to "DOUSE it."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “douse” mean?
To put out; "DOUSE that glim," put out that candle. In Norfolk this expression is DOUT, which is clearly for DO OUT. Sometimes DOUSE means to rinse; and sometimes to throw water, clean or dirty, over any one, is to "DOUSE it."
Is “douse” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.