doze

¹

[ dohz ]

verb (used without object)

, dozed, doz·ing.

1. to sleep lightly or fitfully.
2. to fall into a light sleep unintentionally (often followed by off ):

   He dozed off during the sermon.

3. to sleep for a short time; nap.
4. to be dull or half asleep.

verb (used with object)

, dozed, doz·ing.

1. to pass or spend (time) in drowsiness (often followed by away ):

   He dozed away the afternoon.

noun

1. a light or fitful sleep; nap.

   Synonyms: forty winks, catnap, siesta, snooze

doze

²

[ dohz ]

verb (used with or without object)

, dozed, doz·ing.

1. Informal. to clear or level with a bulldozer.

doze

/ dəʊz /

verb

1. to sleep lightly or intermittently
2. often foll by off to fall into a light sleep

noun

1. a short sleep

Derived Forms

• ˈdozer, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of doze¹

1640–50; originally (now obsolete) to stupefy, make drowsy; compare Scots, N England dialect dozened, Middle English ( Scots ) dosnyt, dosinnit stupefied, dazed; akin to Old Norse dūsa rest, Swedish dialect dusa doze, slumber, Middle Low German dusen to be thoughtless; daze

Origin of doze²

First recorded in 1940–45; shortened form of bulldoze

Word History and Origins

Origin of doze¹

C17: probably from Old Norse dūs lull; related to Danish döse to drowse, Swedish dialect dusa slumber

Example Sentences

She was home at 9 p.m. and quickly dozed off, but within hours, she woke her mother up.

From Salon

In that small snapshot, about 90 minutes or so, in a busy waiting room filled with patients listening out for their names to be called, in wheelchairs, in pain, dozing off.

From BBC

But it wasn’t until closing statements, when many voters may have been dozing off, that she discussed her history as a prosecutor in California.

From Los Angeles Times

Nearby, a younger black man seemed to be dozing.

From BBC

“When I tried to complain, I found the police officers dozing off with their guns in hand.”

From BBC

Related Words

• drift off
• nod off
• snooze