Douse

To Douse means to extinguish or put out, typically a fire or light, by throwing or pouring a liquid onto it. It can also mean to saturate or thoroughly wet something. Figuratively, it can refer to abruptly stopping or dampening a feeling or enthusiasm. The core meaning revolves around the sudden application of a liquid, altering the state of the subject from lit to unlit, dry to wet, or active to suppressed.

Douse meaning with examples

• The firefighters quickly **doused** the flames with water hoses, preventing the wildfire from spreading further. The sudden rush of water extinguished the fire in a matter of minutes, leaving only smoke and steam. This rapid response was crucial in containing the blaze and protecting nearby homes. The firefighters worked tirelessly, continuously **dousing** hot spots to ensure they remained extinguished.
• Before entering the warehouse, the worker took care to Douse the exposed embers with sand, in order to prevent any kind of a fire from breaking out. They worked slowly, methodically ensuring that there was no smoldering of any kind, and the whole process was very thorough. His deliberate actions meant that the risk of fire was now practically zero, the whole process taking about 15 minutes to complete.
• During the downpour, we used the porch awning to shelter the fire. Eventually, the fire started to Douse from the constant rain. We watched helplessly as the once-roaring fire started to smolder, it had no chance against the unrelenting torrent. We didn't really know what to do, as it got completely drenched, as the flames gave way to the rain, smoke, and a wet mess.
• After a long day of work, John's excitement was **doused** when he learned he wasn't getting the promotion he'd been working towards. The disappointment was immediate, as the news, took the wind out of his sails. A sense of quiet resignation settled over him, his ambition quelled, at least momentarily by the unexpected setback, leaving him feeling a sense of deflated enthusiasm.