Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DOZE, v.i. [Dan. döser, to stifle, suppress or quiet; to make heavy, sleepy, or drowsy; dysser, to lull to sleep. The Saxon has dwæs, dwes, dull, stupid, foolish, D. dwaas. The Saxon dysig is rendered foolish or dizzy. See Dote, and Class Ds, No. 1, 3.]

1. To slumber; to sleep lightly. If he happened to doze a little, the jolly cobbler waked him. – L'Estrange.
2. To live in a state of drowsiness; to be dull or half asleep; as, to doze over a work. – Dryden. Pope.