Archaic or dialectal term meaning drowsy, sleepy, or in a light doze; characterized by dozing.
From 'a-' (in a state of) + 'doze' (light sleep), from likely Dutch or Scandinavian origin. The 'a-' prefix creates a state adjective.
Words like 'adoze' show how Middle English used the 'a-' prefix prolifically to create state descriptors ('asleep,' 'awake,' 'afire')—this system later contracted as English lost many of these verbal prefixes.
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