DOWSE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does dowse mean? 

• DOWSE (noun)
  The noun DOWSE has 1 sense:

1. searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod

  Familiarity information: DOWSE used as a noun is very rare.

• DOWSE (verb)
  The verb DOWSE has 4 senses:

1. wet thoroughly

2. use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal

3. slacken

4. cover with liquid; pour liquid onto

  Familiarity information: DOWSE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DOWSE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

dowse; dowsing; rhabdomancy

Hypernyms ("dowse" is a kind of...):

divination; foretelling; fortune telling; soothsaying (the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by supernatural means)

Derivation:

dowse (use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal)

• DOWSE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they dowse    ... he / she / it dowses   
Past simple: dowsed   
Past participle: dowsed   
-ing form: dowsing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wet thoroughly

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

douse; dowse

Hypernyms (to "dowse" is one way to...):

wet (cause to become wet)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sentence example:

Water and alcohol dowse the cloth

Sense 2

Meaning:

Use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "dowse" is one way to...):

divine (search by divining, as if with a rod)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

dowse (searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod)

dowser (forked stick that is said to dip down to indicate underground water or oil)

dowser (someone who uses a divining rod to find underground water)

dowsing (searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Slacken

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

douse; dowse

Context example:

douse a rope

Hypernyms (to "dowse" is one way to...):

remit; slacken (make slack as by lessening tension or firmness)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cover with liquid; pour liquid onto

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

douse; dowse; drench; soak; sop; souse

Context example:

souse water on his hot face

Hypernyms (to "dowse" is one way to...):

wet (cause to become wet)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dowse"):

brine (soak in brine)

bedraggle; draggle (make wet and dirty, as from rain)

bate (soak in a special solution to soften and remove chemicals used in previous treatments)

ret (place (flax, hemp, or jute) in liquid so as to promote loosening of the fibers from the woody tissue)

flush; sluice (irrigate with water from a sluice)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They dowse the cloth with water and alcohol