as in squeezing
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
when the guy failed to return with our money, we realized that we had been hosed
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Recent Examples of hosing
This means pressure-washing the deck or hosing down the lawn before laying down your fresh rug.
—
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
Firefighters were on the street hosing down the burning stacks of e-bikes, the live stream showed, and fire trucks were making their way through showers of sparks from fireworks being lit in the darkening Paris skies.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Dallas Fire-Rescue also shared photos that showed crews hosing down the charred remains of the complex, where debris and burned wood littered the scene.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Her neighbors stayed in their backyard, hosing down trees as aircrafts continued water dumps.
—Sean Emery, Daily News, 18 May 2026
Aphids are often managed by hosing them off foliage using a strong stream of water.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
On the night of April 21, Toronto fire crews called time on the stunt, blocking access to the sculpture and hosing it down with warm water, Toronto City News reports.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
As buses loaded with evacuees pulled onto the road, members of the skeleton crew started gathering their belongings and hosing down buildings.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
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
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
Firefighters were on the street hosing down the burning stacks of e-bikes, the live stream showed, and fire trucks were making their way through showers of sparks from fireworks being lit in the darkening Paris skies.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Dallas Fire-Rescue also shared photos that showed crews hosing down the charred remains of the complex, where debris and burned wood littered the scene.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Her neighbors stayed in their backyard, hosing down trees as aircrafts continued water dumps.
—Sean Emery, Daily News, 18 May 2026
Aphids are often managed by hosing them off foliage using a strong stream of water.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
On the night of April 21, Toronto fire crews called time on the stunt, blocking access to the sculpture and hosing it down with warm water, Toronto City News reports.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
As buses loaded with evacuees pulled onto the road, members of the skeleton crew started gathering their belongings and hosing down buildings.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hosing
Verb
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Lightweight enough to toss into a carry-on, these slippers still have a durable sole, meaning quick trips to the airplane bathroom or hotel hallway don’t require squeezing back into shoes.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
Americans are reeling from a cost-of-living crisis that’s squeezing even the biggest earners in the country.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
If these stinging insects are nesting in your yard, look for the things that might be attracting wasps and learn how to keep them away.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
-
All that said, the inability of Illinois’ political leaders to get their act together so as to put an alternative on the table in the face of Indiana’s aggressive move to poach the Bears is a stinging indictment of this state’s politicians.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
No plucking figures from the sky.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
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The only thing that prevented a shutout was Ross Colton plucking in a rebound off Brent Burns’ sniper off Hart’s chest.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Clarkson now is showing his value hustling for 50-50 balls while no longer being a liability on defense — a trait that’s followed him throughout his career.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
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The ball trickled behind second, and Hoerner kept going, hustling his way to second.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The screwworm gets its name from the maggots' habit of burrowing — or screwing — into a wound, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
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Put the stopper back in the sink before re-screwing the pivot nut, horizontal rod, and sliding your under sink items back into place.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Welker asked Trump about his cheating claims.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Cooper’s girlfriend accused Cooper of cheating and threw his phone against a wall of Cooper’s apartment, according to the affidavit.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Other alleged nonconsensual behavior cited in the documents included locking the door of his office and sticking his hand in her pocket.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
In qualifying, Antonelli continued his heroics to take pole, but what no one really saw coming was Max Verstappen doing Max Verstappen things and sticking his Red Bull on the first row.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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As shoppers gear up for their European summer sojourns, brands are beating the tourist rush and setting up shop across the continent with temporary seasonal stores, beach club pop-ups and limited-time activations to capture the attention and dollars of the high-spending set.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
8 June 2026
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Fujimori, daughter of a disgraced former president, and Sánchez, an ally of an imprisoned ex-president, were on the runoff’s ballot after beating 33 other candidates in the vote in April, but neither earned even 20% of support.—
Franklin Briceño,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hosing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hosing. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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