hose someone down
hose (someone or something) down
To use a hose to douse or clean someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used in between "hose" and "down." The dog got all muddy on our walk, so I have to hose him down before we come inside. OK, you can start hosing down the car now.
See also: down, hose
hose down
1. To spray someone, something, or oneself all over with a hose, especially in order to clean them or it off. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hose" and "down." The kids were so covered in muck that we had to hose them down before they went into the house. Please hose down my truck if you're going to take it off-roading like that! I went over to the spigot and hosed myself down after digging in the garden all morning.
2. To put out or weaken a fire by spraying it with a hose. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hose" and "down." Firefighters arrived at the scene and began hosing down the fire.
3. By extension of definition 2, to attempt to control or mitigate a difficult, intense, or problematic situation. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hose" and "down." The PR department has been running damage control all week, trying to hose down the situation after news of the CEO's scandal broke.
See also: down, hose
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
hose someone down
tv. to kill someone. (Underworld. From the image of spraying someone with bullets.) The thugs tried to hose down the witness.
See also: down, hose, someone
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
- hose (someone or something) down
- hose down
- hose off
- fire hose
- not do (someone or oneself) any favors
- rescue from
- rescue from (someone or something)
- flush away
- Flushing
- identify with