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
Another instance included allegedly hosing down a congregant’s car.
—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Prevent unwanted weeds from establishing in sidewalk and driveway cracks by hosing out or scraping away dirt and sediment from the cracks.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
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
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
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Prevent unwanted weeds from establishing in sidewalk and driveway cracks by hosing out or scraping away dirt and sediment from the cracks.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hosing
Verb
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Of course, attempts to get more revenue out of taxpayers would carry political risks, but voters have been open to squeezing the wealthy.
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Coach Spencer Carbery has done a masterful job of both squeezing what’s left out of the franchise’s best-ever player — Ovechkin led the Caps in both goals (32) and points (64) in 2025-26 — while simultaneously masking the deficiencies that come with age.
Verb
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Former Kansas guard Kevin McCullar wore goggles in the New York Knicks locker room to protect his eyes from stinging during a champagne-spraying celebration after NY’s 94-90 NBA title-clinching victory over San Antonio on June 13 in Texas.
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Pets who have an encounter with stinging caterpillars will need a vet visit ASAP.
Verb
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As with the studio version, the track began with Lifeson plucking out a delicate intro on a nylon-string guitar before blasting into monster electric riffs.
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Vogue’s beauty shopping editor Kiana Murden became a devotee after plucking it from the beauty closet and using it religiously.
Verb
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Langford was injured during Friday’s game after hustling on a double.
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Letting go of the idea that success requires hustling at all costs — and replacing it with goals that feel attainable — can help founders shift toward a more sustainable approach, one where progress doesn't come at the cost of their well-being.
Verb
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The breeze was screwing with the sound system, and the temperature dropped abruptly.
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America’s favorite sport is not football, or soccer, but screwing over sports fans, which is why FIFA should hold its World Cup in the United States permanently.
Verb
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Either way, Angela’s slip is definitely showing in terms of behind-the-scenes messiness (seriously, enough is enough with the cheating stories!
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Everybody says Democrats are cheating!
Verb
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Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking.
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Many Venezuelan news reports have avoided politically delicate questions related to the earthquake, such as the widespread collapse of buildings, sticking instead to safer stories about heroic rescues.
Verb
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And while the titular ambulance chaser naturally holds court for six seasons (beating Breaking Bad by one), equally excellent turns by Jonathan Banks and Rhea Seehorn ensure this multi-award-winning series works as both the perfect prequel and a bingeable standalone drama.
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White won by a 2-point margin, beating Shaikh by just under 400 votes.
Cite this Entry
“Hosing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hosing. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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