douse

4 definitions • 6 examples

to make something or someone wet by throwing a lot of liquid over it or them:

douse someone/something in something We watched as demonstrators doused a car in petrol and set it alight.

douse someone/something with something Members of the victorious team doused each other with champagne.

to stop a fire or light from burning or shining, especially by putting water on it or by covering it with something

to throw water or another liquid on someone or something:

To get rid of weeds, I douse them with plain white vinegar.

fig. The room was doused in light.

To douse something is also to end it, esp. to extinguish (= stop) a fire by putting water on it:

Efforts to douse the flames were hampered by high winds.

Douse the lights (= turn off the lights).