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v. oozed, ooz·ing, ooz·es v.intr. 1. To flow or leak out slowly, as through small openings. 2. To disappear or ebb slowly: His courage oozed away. 3. To progress slowly but steadily: "Over grass bleached colorless by strong outback sun, the herd oozes forward" (Geraldine Brooks). 4. To exude moisture. 5. To emit a particular essence or quality: The house oozed with charm. v.tr. 1. To give off; exude. 2. To emit or radiate in abundance: She oozes confidence. n. 1. The act of oozing. 2. Something that oozes. 3. An infusion of plant material, as from oak bark, formerly used in tanning. [Middle English wosen, from wose, juice, from Old English wōs; akin to Danish dialectal os.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
ooze 2  (z)
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Tweet n. 1. Soft mud or slime. 2. A layer of mudlike sediment on the floor of oceans and lakes, composed chiefly of remains of microscopic sea animals. 3. Muddy ground. [From Early Modern English oase, ooze (probably influenced by OOZE1), from Middle English wose, from Old English wāse; akin to Danish dialectal vejs.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
