The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Douse \Douse\, v. i.
   To fall suddenly into water. --Hudibras.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Douse \Douse\, v. t. [AS. dw[ae]scan. (Skeat.)]
   To put out; to extinguish; as, douse the lights. [Slang] " To
   douse the glim." --Sir W. Scott.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Douse \Douse\ (dous), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Doused (doust); p.
   pr. & vb. n. Dousing.] [Cf. Dowse, and OD. donsen to
   strike with the fist on the back, Sw. dunsa to fall down
   violently and noisily; perh. akin to E. din.]
   1. To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse; to
      dowse. --Bp. Stillingfleet.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Naut.) To strike or lower in haste; to slacken suddenly;
      as, douse the topsail.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

douse
    v 1: put out, as of a candle or a light; "Douse the lights"
         [syn: douse, put out]
    2: wet thoroughly [syn: douse, dowse]
    3: dip into a liquid; "He dipped into the pool" [syn: dip,
       douse, duck]
    4: immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or
       saturate; "dip the garment into the cleaning solution"; "dip
       the brush into the paint" [syn: dunk, dip, souse,
       plunge, douse]
    5: lower quickly; "douse a sail"
    6: slacken; "douse a rope" [syn: douse, dowse]
    7: cover with liquid; pour liquid onto; "souse water on his hot
       face" [syn: drench, douse, dowse, soak, sop,
       souse]