dowse
verb /daʊz/
/daʊz/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they dowse | /daʊz/ /daʊz/ |
| he / she / it dowses | /ˈdaʊzɪz/ /ˈdaʊzɪz/ |
| past simple dowsed | /daʊzd/ /daʊzd/ |
| past participle dowsed | /daʊzd/ /daʊzd/ |
| -ing form dowsing | /ˈdaʊzɪŋ/ /ˈdaʊzɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to look for underground water or minerals by using a special stick or long piece of metal that moves when it comes near water, etc.
- (also douse)dowse something (with something) to stop a fire from burning by pouring water over it; to put out a light
- (also douse)dowse somebody/something (in/with something) to pour a lot of liquid over somebody/something; to soak somebody/something in liquid
Word Originsense 1 late 17th cent.: of unknown origin.