hose

American  

[hohz] / hoʊz /

noun

plural

hose, hoses,

plural

hosen

1. a flexible tube for conveying a liquid, as water, to a desired point.

   a garden hose; a fire hose.

2. (used with a plural verb) an article of clothing for the foot and lower part of the leg; stocking or sock.

3. (of men's attire in former times)

   1. an article of clothing for the leg, extending from about the knee to the ankle and worn with knee breeches.

   2. (used with a plural verb) knee breeches.

   3. (used with a plural verb) tights, as were worn with, and usually attached to, a doublet.

4. British Dialect. a sheath, or sheathing part, as that enclosing a kernel of grain.

5. Golf. hosel.

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verb (used with object)

hosed, hosing

1. to water, wash, spray, or drench by means of a hose (often followed bydown ).

   to hose the garden; to hose down the ship's deck.

2. Slang.

   1. to cheat, trick, or take advantage of.

   2. to defeat decisively.

   3. to reject.

   4. Chiefly Military. to attack or assault (an area) in order to gain control quickly (sometimes followed bydown ).

hose ¹ British  

/ həʊz /

noun

1. stockings, socks, and tights collectively

2. history a man's garment covering the legs and reaching up to the waist; worn with a doublet

3. socks

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hose ² British  

/ həʊz /

noun

1. a flexible pipe, for conveying a liquid or gas

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verb

1. (sometimes foll by down) to wash, water, or sprinkle (a person or thing) with or as if with a hose

Other Word Forms

• hoseless adjective
• hoselike adjective
• unhosed adjective

Etymology

Origin of hose

before 1100; (noun) Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch hoos, Old Norse hosa, German Hose; (v.) Middle English: to provide with hose, derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

He goes back and forth on the docks, hosing down the charter boats, once the tourists and fish are gone.

From Literature

We see them appear out of the dark at speed to make the delicate manoeuvre to feed their fuel-hungry jets - locking on to a hose trailing from the tanker wing.

From BBC

It chewed through rubber tires and engine hoses.

From Los Angeles Times

Around 9 a.m., sanitation workers were maneuvering what appeared to be a massive vacuum hose inside the drain, hoovering up debris before the manhole cover could be sealed.

From Los Angeles Times

Inside the cabin sat a clear, plastic tent supported by an aluminum frame and connected by hoses to a filtration system and various medical devices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• hosiery
• sock
• tights
• tube
• tubing