Deboise

/dɪˈbɔɪz/ verb

Definition

To deafen or stupefy with noise; a variant or related form to 'deaving' or 'deave,' chiefly used in dialectal English.

Etymology

Related to 'deave' from Old Norse 'deyfja' (to deafen), with possible influence from Old French or Norman sources. The exact etymology is debated among scholars.

Kelly Says

Some words are so old that linguists disagree about where they came from—'deboise' is one of those mysterious words that shows up in old English texts but has unclear origins.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.