1550s, "to strike, punch," which is perhaps from Middle Dutch dossen "beat forcefully" or a similar Low German word.
Meaning "to strike a sail in haste" is recorded from 1620s; that of "to extinguish (a light)" is from 1785; perhaps influenced by dout (1520s), an obsolete contraction of do out (compare doff, don). OED regards the meaning "to plunge into water, to throw water over" (c. 1600) as a separate word, of unknown origin, though admitting there may be a connection of some sort. Related: Doused; dousing.
实用例句
1. Men came with buckets of water and began to douse the flames.
人们提来一桶桶水灭火.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. The pumps were started and the crew began to douse the fire with water.
水泵开动了，消防队员们开始用水灭火。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Competitors quickly tried to douse another conflagration of iPhone hype.
很快竞争者就试图加入到另一轮iPhone的广告战.
来自互联网
4. Or will the shadows of her past douse the lamps of hope?
还是她过去生活的阴影会浇灭希望之灯?
来自互联网
5. The authorities blamed'technical problems'for the decision to douse the flame.