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Webster 1913 Edition

Bowse

Bowse

,
Verb.
I.
[See
Booze
, and
Bouse
.]
1.
To carouse; to bouse; to booze.
De Quincey.
2.
(Naut.)
To pull or haul;
as, to
bowse
upon a tack; to
bowse
away, i. e., to pull all together
.

Bowse

,
Noun.
A carouse; a drinking bout; a booze.

Webster 1828 Edition

Bowse

BOWSE

,
Verb.
I.
In seaman's language, to pull or haul; as, to bowse upon a tack; to bowse away, to pull all together.

Definition 2025

bowse

bowse

English

Alternative forms

Verb

bowse ‎(third-person singular simple present bowses, present participle bowsing, simple past and past participle bowsed)

  1. (archaic) To drink excessively and socially; to carouse.
    • 1819, John Keats, "Lines on the Mermaid Tavern":
      O generous food! / Dressed as though bold Robin Hood, / Would, with his maid Marian, / Sup and bowse from horn and can.

Noun

bowse ‎(plural bowses)

  1. A carouse; a drinking bout; a booze.

Etymology 2

Origin unknown.

Verb

bowse ‎(third-person singular simple present bowses, present participle bowsing, simple past and past participle bowsed)

  1. (nautical) To haul or hoist (something) with a tackle.

Etymology

From Middle English bousen, from Middle Dutch būsen, buisen, buysen ‎(“to drink heavily”). Related to Middle High German būsen ‎(“to swell, inblow”). More at beer.

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