To pour liquid over something to soak it completely, or to extinguish a fire with water.
From Dutch 'douse' or possibly from Old English 'dos' (to push down). Some scholars link it to 'dowse' (to search for water), though this is debated. The meaning has consistently involved water application.
Firefighters still use the term 'douse' from centuries of fighting flames with water, but the word also mysteriously connects to 'dowsing'—using a stick to find underground water—suggesting people have always been obsessed with water's power to control or discover.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.