# douse

> English word · Verb · IPA /daʊs/ · frequency rank #47,588

## Definitions
1. To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse.
2. To fall suddenly into water.
3. To put out; to extinguish.

## Etymology
Probably of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish dunsa (“to plumb down, fall clumsily”), Danish dunse (“to thump”). Compare Old English dwǣsċan (“to extinguish”) and douse below.

## Easily confused with
- **due** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-due)
- **dude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-dude)
- **duke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-duke)
- **dust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-dust)
- **dove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-dove)
- **dusk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-dusk)
- **dune** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-dune)
- **dupe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-dupe)
- **doze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-doze)
- **Doyle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-doyle)
- **Druze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/douse-vs-druze)
- **doe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-douse)
- **DOS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dos-vs-douse)
- **does** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/does-vs-douse)
- **done** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/done-vs-douse)
- **dogs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dogs-vs-douse)
- **dose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dose-vs-douse)
- **Doug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doug-vs-douse)
- **dome** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dome-vs-douse)
- **dope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dope-vs-douse)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ddouse`, `dosue`, `doues`, `dousse`, `duose`, `oduse`

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