haze

Definitions


[heɪz], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a slight obscuration of the lower atmosphere, typically caused by fine suspended particles
(e.g: the cold air has no pollution and very little haze)

- a state of mental confusion
(e.g: an alcoholic haze)


Phrases:

Origin:
early 18th century (originally denoting fog or hoar frost): probably a back-formation from hazy


[heɪz], (Verb)

Definitions:
- obscure with a haze
(e.g: a clump of islands, very green, but hazed in cloud and mist)


Phrases:

Origin:
early 18th century (originally denoting fog or hoar frost): probably a back-formation from hazy


[heɪz], (Verb)

Definitions:
- force (a new or potential recruit to the military or a university fraternity) to perform strenuous, humiliating, or dangerous tasks
(e.g: rookies were mercilessly hazed)

- drive (cattle) while on horseback
(e.g: he hazed them on and they clambered up through the rocks)


Phrases:

Origin:
late 17th century (originally Scots and dialect in the sense ‘frighten, scold, or beat’): perhaps related to obsolete French haser ‘tease or insult’




definition by Oxford Dictionaries