bowssen

transitive verb

bows·​sen

ˈbau̇sᵊn

-ed/-ing/-s

in Cornwall

: to duck in water as a treatment for insanity

Word History

Etymology

modification of Cornish beuzi, bedhy, büdhy to drown, submerge; akin to Old Irish bāidim I drown (transitive), Welsh boddi to drown

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