HAZE

daze, fog, haze

(noun) confusion characterized by lack of clarity

haze

(noun) atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

haze

(verb) harass by imposing humiliating or painful tasks, as in military institutions

haze

(verb) become hazy, dull, or cloudy

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Noun

haze (usually uncountable, plural hazes)

Very fine solid particles (smoke, dust) or liquid droplets (moisture) suspended in the air, slightly limiting visibility.

A reduction of transparency of a clear gas or liquid.

An analogous dullness on a surface that is ideally highly reflective or transparent.

(figuratively) Any state suggestive of haze in the atmosphere, such as mental confusion or vagueness of memory.

(uncountable, engineering, packaging) The degree of cloudiness or turbidity in a clear glass or plastic, measured in percent.

(countable, brewing) Any substance causing turbidity in beer or wine.

Verb

haze (third-person singular simple present hazes, present participle hazing, simple past and past participle hazed)

To be or become hazy, or thick with haze.

Etymology 2

Verb

haze (third-person singular simple present hazes, present participle hazing, simple past and past participle hazed)

(US, informal) To perform an unpleasant initiation ritual upon a usually non-consenting individual, especially freshmen to a closed community such as a college or military unit.

To oppress or harass by forcing to do hard and unnecessary work.

(transitive) In a rodeo, to assist the bulldogger by keeping (the steer) running in a straight line.

Proper noun

Haze

A diminutive of the female given name Hazel.

Source: Wiktionary

Haze, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. höss gray; akin to AS. hasu, heasu, gray; or Armor. aézen, ézen, warm vapor, exhalation, zephyr.]

Definition: Light vapor or smoke in the air which more or less impedes vision, with little or no dampness; a lack of transparency in the air; hence, figuratively, obscurity; dimness. O'er the sky The silvery haze of summer drawn. Tennyson. Above the world's uncertain haze. Keble.

Haze, v. i.

Definition: To be hazy, or tick with haze. Ray.

Haze, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hazing.] [Also haze.] Etym: [Cf. Sw. haza to hamstring, fr. has hough, OD. hæssen ham.]

1. To harass by exacting unnecessary, disagreeable, or difficult work.

2. To harass or annoy by playing abusive or shameful tricks upon; to humiliate by practical jokes; -- used esp. of college students; as, the sophomores hazed a freshman.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition