hose

1 of 2

noun

plural hose or hoses
1
plural hose
a(1)
: a cloth leg covering that sometimes covers the foot
(2)
b(1)
: a close-fitting garment covering the legs and waist that is usually attached to a doublet by points
(2)
: short breeches reaching to the knee
2
: a flexible tube for conveying fluids (as from a faucet or hydrant)

hose

2 of 2

verb

hosed; hosing

transitive verb

1
a
: to spray, water, or wash with a hose
often used with down
hose down a stable floor
b
slang : to fire automatic weapons at
usually used with down
2
slang : to deprive of something due or expected : trick, cheat

Examples of hose in a Sentence

Noun There are several hoses stored in the shed. We need another 50 feet of hose. Verb when the guy failed to return with our money, we realized that we had been hosed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Other items that can easily get wrapped and tangled in machinery include ropes, wires, cords, Christmas lights, hoses, and tarps. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2025 The professional-grade facility includes dual 80-gallon Ingersoll Rand air compressors, two nitrogen tanks with hoses, tire storage racks, and stone-hard floor coating rated for 10,000 psi—everything an amateur or professional racecar driver needs to keep the pedal to the metal. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
Residents were prohibited from watering their lawns or hosing down their cars; industrial operations, largely exempt from drought restrictions, kept drawing the water they had been promised. Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2025 Let’s talk about the person who really got hosed… ME! Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hose

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hosa stocking, husk; akin to Old High German hosa leg covering

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hose was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hose. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

hose

1 of 2 noun
1
plural hose
a
b
: a close-fitting garment covering the legs and waist worn by men in about 1600
c
: short pants reaching to the knee
2
plural hose or hoses : a flexible tube for carrying fluid

hose

2 of 2 verb
hosed; hosing
: to spray, water, or wash with a hose

More from Merriam-Webster on hose

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