# doss

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɒs/ · frequency rank #51,073

## Definitions
1. To avoid work, shirk, etc.
2. To sleep, especially in the open or in a makeshift bed, commonly in a derelict building because one is homeless.

## Etymology
Perhaps from Latin dorsum (“the back”), i.e. what one lies on when sleeping; perhaps from English dialect doss (“a hassock”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/doss