- Also called: hosepipe a flexible pipe, for conveying a liquid or gas
- (sometimes followed by down) to wash, water, or sprinkle (a person or thing) with or as if with a hose
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
hos•ing
(hō′zing),USA pronunciation n. [Slang.]
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Slang Termsan act or instance of being taken advantage of or cheated.
- Slang Termsan act or instance of being attacked or defeated decisively;
drubbing:Small investors took a hosing in the recent stock-market decline.
- hose + -ing1
hose /hoʊz/USA pronunciation
n., pl. hos•es for 1. 4. 5. in Unabridged dictionary;
hose for 2. 3. , v.,. hosed, hos•ing.
n. [countable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026hose for 2. 3. , v.,. hosed, hos•ing.
n. [countable]
- a flexible tube for carrying a liquid, such as water, to a desired point:a garden hose.
- Clothing[plural* used with a plural verb] stockings or socks for the foot.
v.
- to water, wash, spray, or pour water on with a hose: [~ + object]He hosed the sidewalk.[~ + off + object]He hosed off the car.[~ + object + off]He hosed the car off.[~ + down + object]He hosed down the lawn.[~ + object + down]hosed the kids down for fun.
hose
(hōz),USA pronunciation n., pl. hose for 2, 3; hos•es for 1, 4, 5;
(Archaic) hos•en (hō′zən);
USA pronunciation v., hosed, hos•ing.
n.
v.t.
hose′less, adj.
hose′like′, adj.
(Archaic) hos•en (hō′zən);
USA pronunciation v., hosed, hos•ing.
n.
- a flexible tube for conveying a liquid, as water, to a desired point:a garden hose; a fire hose.
- Clothing(used with a pl. v.) an article of clothing for the foot and lower part of the leg;
stocking or sock. - Clothing(of men's attire in former times)
- an article of clothing for the leg, extending from about the knee to the ankle and worn with knee breeches.
- (used with a pl. v.) knee breeches.
- (used with a pl. v.) tights, as were worn with, and usually attached to, a doublet.
- British Termsa sheath, or sheathing part, as that enclosing a kernel of grain.
- Sport[Golf.]hosel.
v.t.
- to water, wash, spray, or drench by means of a hose (often fol. by down):to hose the garden; to hose down the ship's deck.
- Slang Terms
- to cheat, trick, or take advantage of.
- to defeat decisively.
- to reject.
- Military[Chiefly Mil.]to attack or assault (an area) in order to gain control quickly (sometimes fol. by down).
- bef. 1100; (noun, nominal) Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch hoos, Old Norse hosa, German Hose; (verb, verbal) Middle English: to provide with hose, derivative of the noun, nominal
hose′like′, adj.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
hose /həʊz/ n
hose /həʊz/ n ( pl hose, hosen)
- stockings, socks, and tights collectively
- a man's garment covering the legs and reaching up to the waist; worn with a doublet
- half-hose ⇒ socks
'hosing' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):