hose down
Spray something all over with a hose or strong water to clean or cool it.
Meanings
To wash a surface, object, or animal thoroughly by spraying it with a hose.
"After the party, we hosed down the terrace to get rid of all the food stains."
To spray a crowd or group of people with water, typically as a means of crowd control.
"Police hosed down protesters who had gathered outside the parliament building."
"Police used fire hoses to hose down marchers in Birmingham, Alabama."
— Reference to historical reporting on the Birmingham campaign, 1963, widely documented in the civil rights press
Used both literally (washing a car, patio, or animal) and figuratively in journalism to mean spraying people with water as crowd control. Also used figuratively, though rarely, to mean defeating someone emphatically.
Commonly used with
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Synonyms
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