Dossed

/dɑst/ verb

Definition

Past tense of 'doss'; to sleep in a rough or temporary shelter, or to do something carelessly.

Etymology

From 'doss,' possibly derived from 'dorsum' (back/bed) or from the Romani word 'dos.' Usage evolved from British slang for sleeping rough to mean bunking or loafing.

Kelly Says

The word 'dossed' captures the reality of homelessness and transient life in 19th-century Britain—it became the compassionate (if informal) term British people used for sleeping on park benches or in shelters.

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