ditch-watern.
The stagnant, stale, or foul water which collects in a ditch. Chiefly in the phrases: †as digne as ditch-water (see digne adj. 4); †as light (i.e. easy) as ditch-water.; as dull as ditch-water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > still or standing water > [noun] > in ditch
ditch-waterc1394
the mind > emotion > suffering > feeling of weariness or tedium > [adjective] > wearisome or tedious > extremely
over-tedious1483
as dull as ditch-water1844
Dryasdustic1862
Dryasdust1872
Dryasdustish1890
c1394 P. Pt. Crede 375 Þey ben digne as dich water þat dogges in bayteþ.
?c1425 Crafte Nombrynge in R. Steele Earliest Arithm. in Eng. (1922) 8 Þen worch forth in þe oþer figurys till þou come to þe ende, for it is lyght as dyche water.
1819 P. B. Shelley Cenci ii. i. 24 Ditch water, and the fever-stricken flesh Of buffaloes.
1844 W. H. Maxwell Wanderings in Highlands & Islands I. Introd. Ep. 26 The people..are as ‘dull as ditch-water’.
1892 ‘G. Travers’ Mona Maclean I. xiv. 203 I find them as dull as ditch-water!
Derivatives
ˈditchˌwateriness n. Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > insipidity > [noun]
wearishnessa1398
unsavouriness1422
tastelessness1600
flashinessa1603
wallowishness1603
insipidity1611
insipidnessa1631
deadness1707
flatness1707
mawkishness1727
walshness1808
ditchwateriness1840
savourlessness1841
blandness1846
silence1879
1840 Fraser's Mag. 21 19 If it be so prepared as to be piquant, then, it is of small consequence what may be its ditch-wateriness.
ˈditchwaterly adv. = ‘as ditch-water’ (see above).Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1859 G. A. Sala Gaslight & Daylight xxiv. 270 How wofully tired, and ditchwaterly dull they look.
ˈditchˌwatery adj. of the quality of ditch-water, dull as ditch-water.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.c1394