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Glite Dictionary
🧓 A foolish elder ❤️ To love deeply
to doat

to doat

9.9
To love someone or something too much in a silly way
  • verb
  • /doʊt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : mimar a
  • He doats on his little granddaughter and spends every weekend with her.

Examples

  • 'He doats on it, your worship,' replied Bumble, giving Oliver a sly pinch to intimate that he had better not say he didn't.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Being desirous to introduce his bride into his lodge in the manner that should be least offensive to the mother of his children, for whom he still retained much regard, he introduced the subject in these words: "You know," said he, "that I love no woman so fondly as I doat upon you."

    Academic text (1998)

  • She doats on that old photograph, always placing it on her desk.

  • Many people doat on their pets, treating them as beloved family members.

Synonyms

to dote
vsto doat
18 7.7

To show too much love for someone or something

adds an old-fashioned or quaint quality to that same excessive affection

Antonyms

to dislike
204 1.0

To not like someone or something strongly

How Fond

to worship
106 3.4
to doat
  • Archaic
9.9
to adore
274 2.4
to care for
349 1.9
to like
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

doat infinitive
doated past
doated past participle
doating present participle
doats third person singular

Etymology

Doat as a verb comes from the same root as dote, which meant 'to show too much love' or 'be foolish with love'. So to doat on someone is to love them in an overly soft or silly way.