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单词 water
释义

watern.

Brit. /ˈwɔːtə/, U.S. /ˈwɔdər/, /ˈwɑdər/
Forms: early Old English uaeter- (in compounds), early Old English uuaeter- (in compounds), early Old English uuęter- (in compounds), Old English uæter (Northumbrian), Old English uætr- (Northumbrian, inflected form), Old English uætter (Northumbrian), Old English uættr- (Northumbrian, inflected form), Old English waeter- (in compounds), Old English wætor- (inflected form, rare), Old English wætr- (inflected form), Old English wætter (rare), Old English wættr- (inflected form), Old English wætyr (rare), Old English wetr- (Mercian and Kentish, inflected form), Old English–early Middle English wæter, Old English (rare)–Middle English watr- (inflected form), Old English (chiefly Mercian and Kentish)–Middle English (chiefly south-west midlands and south-eastern) weter, Old English (rare) Middle English– water, late Old English veter- (in compounds), late Old English węter (Kentish), late Old English wętr- (Kentish, inflected form), late Old English (early Middle English south-west midlands) weater, early Middle English ȝwater (south-western), early Middle English uuater, early Middle English uuæter (in copy of Old English charter), early Middle English waeter, early Middle English watær, early Middle English wateir, early Middle English waterr ( Ormulum), early Middle English wattr- (inflected form), early Middle English weattr- (south-west midlands, inflected form), early Middle English wetter- (in compounds), early Middle English wettr- (south-west midlands, inflected form), Middle English vater, Middle English vatr- (inflected form), Middle English vatur, Middle English vatyr, Middle English wadyr, Middle English watar, Middle English waterr- (inflected form), Middle English watire, Middle English wattere, Middle English wattir, Middle English wattire, Middle English wattre (northern), Middle English wattyr, Middle English wature, Middle English watyrr- (inflected form), Middle English wter (transmission error), Middle English–1500s watere, Middle English–1500s watier, Middle English–1500s watir, Middle English–1500s watre, Middle English–1500s watur, Middle English–1500s watyr, Middle English–1500s watyre, Middle English–1600s watter, late Middle English wartre- (in compounds, perhaps transmission error), late Middle English whater, 1500s wayter, 1500s–1600s warter, 1500s (1700s–1800s in water caltrop n. at Compounds 9b) walter, 1600s waltor, 1600s watear; English regional 1700s wetur (northern), 1700s– watter, 1800s– wetter (northern), 1800s– waater, 1800s– waiter, 1800s– wat'r, 1800s– watther, 1800s– wayter, 1800s– wotter, 1900s– wettor (northern); U.S. regional 1700s– warter (chiefly south Midland), 1800s– watter (south-eastern), 1800s– worter (chiefly south Midland), 1900s– wadder (north-eastern), 2000s– wooder (north-eastern); Scottish pre-1700 uater, pre-1700 uattir, pre-1700 vadder, pre-1700 valter, pre-1700 valtir, pre-1700 vater, pre-1700 vatere, pre-1700 vatter, pre-1700 vattir, pre-1700 vattr- (inflected form), pre-1700 vattyr, pre-1700 vatyr, pre-1700 voltir, pre-1700 walter, pre-1700 waltir, pre-1700 waltyr, pre-1700 warter, pre-1700 watere, pre-1700 wather, pre-1700 watir, pre-1700 watr, pre-1700 watr- (inflected form), pre-1700 watre, pre-1700 wattar, pre-1700 wattere, pre-1700 wattr- (inflected form), pre-1700 wattre, pre-1700 wattyr, pre-1700 wattyre, pre-1700 watyr, pre-1700 wettr, pre-1700 wotter, pre-1700 wytter, pre-1700 1700s– waiter, pre-1700 1700s– water, pre-1700 1800s– waitter, pre-1700 1800s– watter, pre-1700 1800s– wattir, 1800s– wa'er, 1900s– waater, 1900s– waeter, 1900s– wayter, 1900s– wetter; also Irish English 1700s– wather (now northern), 1800s waudher (Wexford), 1900s– waiter (northern), 1900s– watter (northern).
Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.
Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian weter (West Frisian wetter ), Old Dutch watar (Middle Dutch, Dutch water ), Old Saxon watar (Middle Low German water ), Old High German wazzar (Middle High German wazzer , German Wasser ), Old Icelandic (poetic and rare) vatr , all with a similar semantic range to the English word, and also (with different stem-final consonant: see note) Old Icelandic vatn , Old Swedish vatn (Swedish vatten ), Old Danish wadn , wand (Danish vand ), Gothic watin- , watō < the same Indo-European base as Hittite u̯iten- , u̯ātar , Lithuanian vanduo , and probably Old Church Slavonic voda , and also with different ablaut (zero-grade) Sanskrit udan , ancient Greek ὕδατ- , ὕδωρ , Umbrian un- , utur , classical Latin unda (chiefly in sense ‘wave’; compare und n.), Old Prussian unds , wundan , Latvian ūdens , and (with further suffix) Early Irish uisce (compare usquebaugh n.).Indo-European connections. The Indo-European base is one of a small class of heteroclitic neuter r/n -stem nouns which apparently originally had stem-final -r in the nominative and accusative singular and -n in other cases (compare fire n.). This distribution survives in Hittite, Umbrian and Greek (where α in the oblique stem reflects Indo-European vocalic n̥ ). In the Germanic languages the forms were completely remodelled. In Gothic the word was partly assimilated to the n -stem declension. In West Germanic the r of the nominative and accusative was levelled throughout the paradigm, whereas in North Germanic the n of the oblique stem was levelled (although contrast rare Old Icelandic vatr ). In both West Germanic and North Germanic the word was assimilated to the a -stem declension. Compare also the widespread derivatives of the same Indo-European base with the sense ‘water-animal’, which preserve a stem-final -r : see otter n.1 Compare wet adj., which reflects the e -grade of the same Indo-European base. Inflection in Old English. In Old English usually a strong neuter; inflection as a strong masculine or strong feminine is very occasionally attested, and also an apparently isolated weak genitive plural form wæterena . Notes on senses. Frequently used to translate Anglo-Norman and Middle French, French eau (see ewer n.1) and its etymon post-classical Latin aqua (see aqua n.1) as well as ancient Greek ὕδωρ (see main etymology), all of which have a similar semantic range. With plural uses with reference to mineral springs (see sense 5a) compare classical Latin aquae (plural). Earlier currency in this sense is perhaps shown by the following example (however, it is impossible to say with certainty whether hat wæter is plural or singular as in Old English the forms would potentially be identical):OE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Cambr. Univ. Libr.) i. Introd. 26 Hit hafað eac þis land sealtseaþas; & hit hafaþ hat wæter [L. fontes calidos], & hat baðo ælcere yldo & hade ðurh todælede stowe gescræpe. With plural uses to describe a mass of water collectively (see sense 10) compare classical Latin aquae and ancient Greek ὕδατα ; similar plural uses are also attested in other modern languages, e.g. German and French. Uses of words for ‘water’ with reference to distillates, especially alcoholic liquor (see sense 22) are widespread in European languages; compare e.g. water of life n. 2 and the foreign-language parallels cited at that entry; compare also aquavit n. and vodka n. With burning water at sense 26 compare post-classical Latin aqua ardens (13th cent. in a British source), Middle French, French eau ardente (see ewe ardaunt n. and compare aguardiente n.). With Water of Aquarius at sense 27 compare post-classical Latin aqua Aquarii (1543 or earlier); compare also classical Latin Aqua and ancient Greek Ὕδωρ , denoting the same part of the constellation. Use in names. With use with reference to rivers (see sense 11b(a)) compare occasional early examples of river names, e.g. Frescewatre , Isle of Wight (1086; now part of the River Yar), Bradewatre , Sussex (1086; now lost), Le Ludwatere , Buckinghamshire (1241; now the River Wye), all preserved in the names of settlements. River names combining water with another place name (particularly common in Scotland) are attested from the 13th cent. (compare Water of Esk , Dumfriesshire (1249)), although apparently many are post-medieval; compare e.g. Liddale Water , Dumfriesshire and Roxburghshire (1552; now Liddel Water; 13th cent. as Lidl , Lidel ). With use with reference to bodies of standing water (see sense 11b(b)) compare earlier use in the names of several lakes in the north of England, as e.g. Semerwater, North Riding, Yorkshire (1153), Mallewatre, West Riding, Yorkshire (1175; now Malham Tarn), and (in the Lake District) Helterwatra (a1163; now Elterwater), Havereswater (1199; now Hawes Water), Laweswatre (c1203; now Loweswater), Duvokeswater (c1205; now Devoke Water), Derwentwater (1209–10), etc.; these all very likely show Scandinavian influence, since this is a common sense of the Scandinavian (West Norse) cognate.
I. Water as a substance.
* In literal use.
1. The substance (most commonly encountered as a liquid) which is the principal constituent of seas, lakes, and rivers, and which falls as rain and other forms of precipitation.Water is necessary for life, and is put to a wide range of domestic and industrial uses, as washing, cooking, provision of motive power, extinguishing fire, etc. When pure, in its liquid form it is transparent, colourless (except as seen in large quantity, when it has a blue tint), odourless, and tasteless. Popular language recognizes kinds of ‘water’ that do not have all these negative properties (see branches III., IV.); but it has usually been more or less clearly understood that these are really mixtures of water with other substances.
a. In general use.Also with various qualifying words, denoting kinds of water distinguished by their properties or origin, as cold water, hard water, salt water, etc.; rainwater, seawater, well water, etc. For such compounds see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > [noun]
watereOE
streamc950
floodOE
water floodc1175
wave1590
open water1790
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun]
watereOE
aquaa1398
breec1540
Mother Bunch1600
lympha1630
pani1816
fisherman's daughter1880
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > washing > washing agents > [noun] > water or solutions
watereOE
lyec1200
lavatoryc1475
lavament1598
lavature1601
loture1601
ablution1623
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > used for motive power
water1551
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > as antagonistic to fire
water1879
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xliii. 309 Onsend Ladzarus, ðætte he gewæte his ytemestan finger on wættre, & mid ðæm gecele mine tungan.
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xi. 98 Hi urnon to ablicgede and woldon þæt fyr mid wætere ofgeotan.
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xxvii. 24 Ða geseah Pilatus þæt hyt naht ne fremode.., þa genam he wæter & þwoh hys handa beforan þam folce.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 14038 Crist badd tatt teȝȝ sholldenn gan & fillenn þeȝȝre fetless. Wiþþ waterr.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 39 (MED) Moni punt hire word forte leote ma ut as me deð weater ed mulne.
a1325 (c1280) Southern Passion (Pepys 2344) (1927) l. 803 (MED) Þer wole a man come anon Aȝen ȝow wiþ a galoun of water.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. ii. 893 The gretteste tree synkeþ nought in water þough it be heuy.
c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. 5077 (MED) Makyng þe snow..In-to water kyndely relente.
a1450 in T. Austin Two 15th-cent. Cookery-bks. (1888) 13 (MED) Take Vele, Kyde, or Henne, an boyle hem in fayre Water, or ellys in freysshe brothe.
a1500 (c1477) T. Norton Ordinal of Alchemy (BL Add.) (1975) l. 404 (MED) Watire congelid with colde is yse.
1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Surueyeng xxxv. f. 48v Make a great dyche..that the water may auoyde.
1551 R. Record Pathway to Knowl. i. Pref. sig. †.i The Myll that is driuen by water or winde.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 35v [Lupines] being sodden and layd in water,..feedeth Oxen in Winter very well.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) ii. ii. 44 Goe get some Water, And wash this filthie Witnesse from your Hand. View more context for this quotation
1625 N. Carpenter Geogr. Delineated i. i. 9 Water being no other then a thin and fluid body,..must needs require a hard and solid body, whereon to support it selfe.
1698 J. Floyer Treat. Asthma To Rdr. sig. a8v Like a Mill which stands still for want of Water.
1752 D. Hume Polit. Disc. (ed. 2) v. 83 All water, wherever it communicates, remains always at a level.
1760 J. Smeaton in Philos. Trans. 1759 (Royal Soc.) 51 126 A trunk, for bringing the water upon the wheel, was fixed.
1798 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Marinere ii, in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads 13 Water, water, every where, Ne any drop to drink.
1813 H. Davy Elements Agric. Chem. i. 15 Water is raised from the ocean, diffused through the air, and poured down upon the soil.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 145 Water will pass through the pores of gold rather than suffer compression, and appears to be entirely inelastic.
1850 Ld. Tennyson In Memoriam lvii. 83 As drop by drop the water falls In vaults and catacombs. View more context for this quotation
1879 Encycl. Brit. IX. 235/2 In coping with fires, water is the great agent employed.
1894 M. Dyan All in Man's Keeping xvi She watched him pour the water into the teapot.
1909 Chatterbox 223/2 The trunks or logs are steeped in water for several days.
1932 G. Greene Stamboul Train i. i. 3 Water washing against the sides of channel steamer and quay.
1974 R. Swale Children of Cape Horn (1975) xxii. 174 Colin threw another bucket of icy water over me.
1985 C. S. Ward Anaesthetic Equipm. (ed. 2) xxii. 345/1 After use, the instrument may be cleaned by wiping it with a solution of Savlon and then rinsed in water.
2000 A. Taylor Where Roses Fade (2003) lviii. 404 Water plopped noisily nearby, a steady dripping.
2014 Guardian 21 June (Weekend Suppl.) 70/1 Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil.
b. Water viewed as a chemical substance, regardless of its physical state (and so including ice and steam), now recognized to be a compound of hydrogen (two volumes) and oxygen (one volume) having the formula H2O; (in early use usually) water as one of the four or more elements of ancient and medieval philosophy (cf. element n. 1) and astrology (cf. water sign at Compounds 7).A neutral liquid freezing at 0° C (273 K, 32° F) and boiling at 100° C (373 K, 212° F) under standard conditions, water has highly distinctive physical and chemical properties: it is able to dissolve many other substances; its solid form (ice) is less dense than the liquid form; its boiling point, viscosity, and surface tension are unusually high for its molecular weight (owing to the extensive linking of water molecules by hydrogen bonds), and it is partially dissociated into hydronium and hydroxyl ions.heavy water: see heavy adj.1 2d.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > named compounds > [noun] > water
waterOE
oxyhydric acid1848
light water1933
OE Blickling Homilies 35 Ure lichoma wæs gesceapen of feower gesceaftum, of eorþan, & of fyre, & of wætere, & of lyfte.
OE Ælfric Interrogationes Sigewulfi in Genesin (Corpus Cambr. 162) xviii. in Anglia (1884) 7 12 On hu fela gesceaftum stent þes middaneard? On feowrum: On fyre & on lyfte, on wætere & on eorþan. Hwæt is heora ælces gecynd?..Þæs wæteres gecynd is ceald & wæt.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 11504 Manness bodiȝ feȝedd iss, Off fowwre kinne shaffte. Off heoffness fir. & off þe lifft. Off waterr. & off eorþe.
c1300 St. Michael (Harl.) in T. Wright Pop. Treat. Sci. (1841) 138 Of this four elementz ech quik thing y-maked is, Of urthe, of water, and of eyr, and of fur, i-wis.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vii. l. 238 (MED) Above therthe kepth his bounde The water, which is the secounde Of elementz.
?c1450 (a1388) tr. Richard of Wallingford Exafrenon (Digby) in J. D. North Wks. Richard of Wallingford (1976) I. 221 (MED) Fire and air are elementis kyndely actyfe, id est doynge, the water and the erthe passyve, id est sufferande.
a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 182 Fyre, erd, air and watter cleir.
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. 139 What will he answere to al the former Philosophers, who are of opinion that the Skye is as Cristall composed of Water?
1641 G. Walker Hist. Creation 118 They doe imagine that there is a watery heaven above the starry heaven, which consists of water congealed like to Cristall.
1669 W. Simpson Hydrologia Chymica 258 The like happens in all Vegetables, for Water is the material Principle of Vegetables.
1704 J. Harris Lexicon Technicum I Water, which the Chymists call Phlegm, is the 4th of the 5 Chimical Principles, and one of the Passive ones.
1791 E. Darwin Bot. Garden: Pt. I i. 132 (note) Mr. Lavoisier and others of the French School have most ingeniously endeavoured to shew that water consists of pure air, called by them oxygene, and of inflammable air, called hydrogene.
1812 J. Playfair Outl. Nat. Philos. I. 227 On the different quantities of heat..united to the substance that we call water, depends its existence in the state of a solid, a liquid, or an elastic fluid.
1881 Sir W. Armstrong in Nature 8 Sept. 450/2 Water, being oxidised hydrogen, must be placed in the same category as the earths.
1899 Washington Post 9 July 22/3 Persons born under the domains of Fire and Water should not marry.
1936 E. A. Atkins & A. G. Walker Electr. Arc & Oxy-acetylene Welding (ed. 3) xii. 132 By electrolysis water can be split up into its component parts of hydrogen and oxygen.
1968 J. D. Watson Double Helix xiii. 94 The awkward truth became apparent that the correct DNA model must contain at least ten times more water than was found in our model.
1988 R. Tisserand Aromatherapy for Everyone (1990) vi. 152 Oriental diagnosis..is based on the theory that there are five ‘subtle elements’: fire, earth, metal, water and wood.
2000 M. de Villiers Water (new ed.) i. ii. 33 Europa..holds more water than all the oceans of the earth, a ‘shell’ of liquid and frozen water 160 kilometers thick.
2. Water as used for various specific purposes.
a. As a drink (for a person or animal); also as something given to sustain a plant.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > water > [noun]
waterOE
Adam's ale1643
old Adama1689
cold Adam1699
H2O1891
council pop1999
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) i. 185 Heofonan rice wæs alæten..sumum men to anum wæteres drence.
OE Ælfric's Colloquy (1991) 47 Et quid bibis? Ceruisam, si habeo, uel aquam si non habeo ceruisam : & hwæt drincst þu? Ealu, gif ic hæbbe, oþþe wæter gif ic hæbbe eala [read næbbe ealu].
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 3212 Hiss drinnch wass waterr aȝȝ occ aȝȝ Hiss mete wilde rotess.
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 43 Leuere him was..ðat water to drinken ðanne..ðe gode wines.
a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 202 He drinkeð water gredilike.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Dan. i. 12 Be potage ȝouen to vs for to ete, and water for to drinke.
a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 114 (MED) Thai drinken water, thai eyten apples, with brede right browne made of rye.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Judges iv. 19 Geue me a litle water to drynke, for I am a thyrst.
1570 T. Tusser Hundreth Good Pointes Husbandry (new ed.) f. 15v House Calfe, and go suckle it twise on a day, and after a while set it water and hay.
1611 Bible (King James) Isa. xli. 17 When the poore and needie seeke water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst. View more context for this quotation
1656 R. Short Περι Ψυχροποσιας 68 Why then should we (like so many Don Quixotes) change our national drink for water?
1731 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. I. at Guidonia During the Winter-season they should have but little Water.
1759 R. Brown Compl. Farmer 13 Give the horse a ball in his water.
1842 J. C. Loudon Suburban Horticulturist 386 When plants are ripening their fruit, a diminished supply of water increases the flavour.
1865 A. D. Whitney Gayworthys xxxvi She fell back, trembling, against her chair. Mr. Brinley brought her hastily some water.
1897 Daily News 30 Aug. 2/1 Everything was 50 cents. a drink, no mixed drinks, and no water for a chaser.
1918 Pacific Poultrycraft Nov. 15/2 I..give them [sc. bantams] their water luke warm in the winter.
1959 E. Connell Mrs. Bridge xl. 85 After another drink of water she crushed out her cigarette.
1989 G. Vanderhaeghe Homesick iii. 34 There was no doubt that the day would be a scorcher. The garden would need water by tomorrow.
2012 That's Life 26 Apr. 37/4 Looking for a simple way to lose five pounds in weight? Then switch to water or low-cal drinks.
b. As used to dilute (esp. alcoholic) drinks. See also Phrases 3c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > water > [noun] > used to dilute liquors
waterOE
freeze-water1658
freeze1667
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xv. 157 Halige bec beodað þæt man gemencge wæter to ðam wine ðe to husle sceal, for ðan ðe þæt wæter hæfð þæs folces getacnunge, swa swa þæt win cristes blodes.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. i. 22 Thi syluer is turned in to dros; thi wyn is mengd with water [L. vinum tuum mixtum est aqua].
1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus Comedye of Acolastus iii. iv. sig. Qiij Neuer that I wot of, haue I dronk wyne more wynyshe, or purer from any water put vnto it.
1637 J. Prideaux Certaine Serm. 25 When the people wanted water in Beer,..God brought them to a well, whereof he had spoken vnto Moses.
1695 T. Maule Truth held Forth xxxi. 214 The English Traders might..lengthen out..their stock by mixing Rum and Brandy with two thirds Water.
1738 J. Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 165 Lady Smart. I was told, ours [sc. ale] was very strong. Sir John. Ay, Madam, strong of the Water.
1798 C. Stearns Female Gamesters iii. ii. in Dramatic Dialogues 179 We might mix the strong beer with water half and half, and by that means raise a considerable sum.
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xxxvii. 405 Mr. Benjamin Allen..produced..a black bottle half full of brandy. ‘You don't take water, of course?’ said Bob Sawyer.
1908 Observer 1 Mar. 2/4 (headline) Water in the beer. £40 fine inflicted on a Woking hotel-keeper.
1992 S. Howatch Mystical Paths i. v. 169 James poured us both double-whiskies. ‘Soda?’ ‘No, I'll take water.’
c. As used in baptism.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > artefacts > consumables > water > [noun] > used for baptism
watereOE
font watereOE
bathOE
cold watera1387
eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) iii. xvii. 234 He ne wæs mid wætre fulwihtes [L. aqua baptismatis] bæðes Gode to bearne acenned.
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) iii. 11 Ic eow fullige on wætere [L. in aqua] to dædbote.
c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Royal) (1981) l. 646 Þet tis meiden moste ine wurðschipe of godd wið halwunde wettres [c1225 Bodl. weattres, a1250 Titus wattres] bi-healden ham alle.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 19976 Qua mai for-bede Water at baptim.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 14 Quhen Goddis word with watter Junit be, Throw Faith, to gif vs lyfe Eternallie.
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lx. 131 Why are we taught that with water God doth purifie and clense his Church?
1696 B. Keach Light broke forth in Wales iii. 15 You..baptize none unless you dip them into the Water.
1751 M. Towgood Dipping not Only Scriptural & Primitive Manner of Baptizing 26 A being born again of water..which admits into the visible church.
1869 New Englander Jan. 30 As of old the blood-baptism of the martyr canonized him in the church, though he had failed to be baptized of water into the Christian name.
1951 H. Giles Harbin's Ridge xxiii. 202 They baptized different, too. Face forward in the water, three times.
1999 F. Wynne tr. M. Houellebecq Atomised (2001) 209 The priest poured the baptismal water three times on my son's forehead.
3. In various similative expressions with reference to particular attributes of water, as the readiness with which it flows, its use as a diluent (and hence its being taken as the type of something dilute or weak), its changeability, its capacity to extinguish fire, the opposition between water and fire as elements (see sense 1b), etc. See also like water at Phrases 1d.Many uses can be traced back to biblical antecedents; see e.g. Genesis 49:4 (‘unstable as water’), Joshua 7:5 (‘the hearts of the people melted, and became as water’), 2 Samuel 14:14 (‘we..are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again’), Psalm 79:3 (‘their blood have they shed like water’), Ezekiel 7:17 (‘all knees shall be weak as water’).like water off a duck's back: see duck n.1 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > past [phrase] > water under the bridge
watereOE
water under the bridge (also over the dam, under the dyke, under the mill, etc.)1858
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > [phrase] > at a sticking-point or impasse
watereOE
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > [noun] > unpleasantness > that which is unpleasant
unthankc897
offensiona1382
offencec1425
displeasure1470
pill1548
phlegm1567
water in a person's shoes1624
a whip and a bell1644
nastiness1718
disagreeable1726
watera1734
embitterer1752
disagreement1778
disagreeablism1835
grit1876
bad news1918
nasty1959
scuzz1968
napalm1984
eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Otho) (2009) I. xxi. 482 Ic ongite þæt ealla ge[sceafta] toflowen swa swa wæter.
OE Blickling Homilies 237 Manega tintrega hie þe on bringað.., swa þætte þin blod flewþ ofer eorðan swa swa wæter.
OE Homily: Larspell (Corpus Cambr. 419) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 238 Hit is geræd and gecweden on halgum bocum, ðæt, swa swa wæter adwæsceð fyr, swa adwæsceð seo ælmesse þa synne.
lOE Metrical Charm: Against Wen (Royal 4 A.xiv) 10 Weorne alswa weter on anbre.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 177 (MED) Ac alle woreld þing ben flete[n]d[e] alse water erninde.
a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 33 Icham for wowyng al forwake, wery so water in wore.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Josh. vii. 5 And þe herte of þe peple moche dradde & at þe liknes of watyr is moltyn.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. l. 3170 For as the water of a welle Of fyr abateth the malice, Riht so [etc.].
a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1869) I. 92 Þei weren unstable as water and fordiden soone Cristis prente.
c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 852 The blod out of the wounde as brode sterte As watyr whan the condit brokyn is.
1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus i. f. 3 I found my good bowe..as weake as water.
1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. xi. sig. E That were..as muche almes or nede, As caste water in Thems.
1608 T. Dekker Lanthorne & Candle-light sig. G3 Yet they haue a tricke (like water cut with a sword) to come together instantly and easily againe.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) v. ii. 143 She was false as water . View more context for this quotation
1697 T. Tryon Way to Health vi. 98 Though it be a vulgar Proverb—As weak as Water.
1703 M. Pix Different Widows v. 54 I am Cold as water, Deaf as wind, and Pitiless as fire.
1712 C. Johnson Wife's Relief i. ii. 13 You are a very Tyrant, and my Obedience, like Water flung upon a raging Fire, only inflames your Follies.
1798 C. B. Brown Wieland xii. 144 I had almost persuaded myself to weep over thy fall; but I am frail as dust, and mutable as water.
1832 S. Warren Passages from Diary of Late Physician II. vi. 247 He [sc. a cabin-boy] was frequently flogged..till the blood ran down his back like water.
1859 W. Collins Haunted House: Ghost in Cupboard Room in All Year Round Extra Christmas No., 13 Dec. 24/1 The sweat poured off my face like water.
1903 J. Lumsden Toorle v. i. 100 His speech rusht out o' the mou' o' him like water out o' a tail dam.
1983 J. Wainwright Their Evil Ways v. 154 I think you're mad... Mad and as weak as water.
2001 Guardian (Nexis) 7 July (Travel section) 6 The spelling of such place names here is as mutable as water, reflecting Sikkim's longstanding position as a buffer between India, China, Nepal and Bhutan.
4. As a count noun. Each of the quantities of water used successively in a gradual process of washing, rinsing, or cooking.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > washing > washing agents > [noun] > water or solutions > each successive quantity used
water?c1225
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 240 Wule anweb beon anchere wel ibleached wið an water.
?1543 Newe Herball (new ed.) sig. J.iiiv Seth them [sc. navews] in water, cast that water away, and seth them in another water.
1583 W. Hunnis Seuen Sobs 39 How manie waters need I then for to be washed in, Ere I be purged faire and cleane, and clensed from my sin?
1653 I. D. G. tr. F. P. de la Varenne French Cook 95 Cut them [sc. mushrooms] into quarters, and wash them in several waters, to take off the earth.
1684 J. Smith Profit & Pleasure United 149 Feeding him [sc. a hawk] upon the flesh of Rooks, washed in two waters.
1714 M. Kettilby Coll. above 300 Receipts 63 Take half a pound of Sagoe, and wash it well in three or four hot Waters.
1750 W. Ellis Country Housewife's Family Compan. 88 This first Water is to be thrown away, and fresh put in its room, and so on every twelve Hours, for three or four Days together.
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. ix. 94 Butter..my own invention, melted from salt beef and washed in many waters.
1875 F. J. Bird Dyer's Hand-bk. 33 Wash in two waters and dry.
1907 W. Tibbles Food & Hygiene viii. 101 Cassava in its season, boiled in several waters and then fried, resembles potatoes.
1941 E. Hahn Soong Sisters xxviii. 282 The highly sanitary arrangement for dishwashing (rinsing in three waters, just as Mother teaches us at home).
1990 Altoona (Pa.) Mirror 31 Jan. d3/4 Soak the paunch for several hours in salt and water, then turn it inside out and wash it thoroughly in several waters.
5.
a. In plural. Water from a mineral spring, or a collection of such springs, considered as having therapeutic, curative, or health-giving properties when used for bathing or drinking. Often preceded by the.to take the waters: see Phrases 2k(b).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > from a spring, fountain, or well
well watereOE
pit watera1398
spring-waterc1450
watersc1484
fountain-water1572
spa-water1589
c1484 (a1475) J. de Caritate tr. Secreta Secret. (Takamiya) (1977) 156 (MED) Entyr watyrris or bathys qwych be made be sulfur.
1542–3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII. c. 8 Divers honest persones..whome God hathe endued with the knowledge of the nature kinde and operacion of certeyne herbes rotes and waters.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors iv. f. 57v Some waters that are generated and flowe out of vaynes of brymstone, are sensybly warme, and some very whott... These waters being also drying by nature, are wholsome for many infyrmities.
1619 in S. R. Gardiner Lett. Relations Eng. & Germany (1865) 1st Ser. 200 For my health to goe drinke the waters of the Spaw for the few dayes yet remayning of their season.
1676 Lady Chaworth in Hist. MSS Comm.: 12th Rep.: App. Pt. V: MSS Duke of Rutland (1889) II. 29 in Parl. Papers (C. 5889-II) XLIV. 393 Lady Portsmouth continues sicke, and some say she will try the French ayre, others the Bath watters.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 284. ⁋4 Though I have drunk the Waters, and am told I ought not to use my Eyes so much, I cannot forbear writing to you.
1720 J. Wilcocks in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. IV. 321 Since the kings return from the waters, which agreed very well with him, we have had [etc.].
1775 R. B. Sheridan St. Patrick's Day i. i She was such a hand at making foreign waters! for Seltzer, Pyrmont, Islington, or Chalybeate, she never had her equal.
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xxxiv. 376 Most welcome to Ba—ath, Sir. It is long—very long, Mr. Pickwick, since you drank the waters.
1843 R. S. Surtees Handley Cross I. iii. 38 It was well known their waters were immeasurably inferior to what they enjoyed, not only in sulphuretted hydrogen, but also in iodine and potash.
1858 P. L. Simmonds Dict. Trade Products Well-room, an apartment or building containing a mineral spring or spa, where the waters are drunk by invalids.
1906 Chicago Clinic Pure Water Jrnl. Nov. 367 Very many who go there [sc. Saratoga] for the waters use them in a desultory manner without medical supervision.
1988 New Scientist 24 Dec. 24/1 Victims of rheumatic complaints and chronic skin disorders, such as psoriasis, are particularly attracted to the waters.
b. In singular. Water originating from a specified spring or location, typically being considered to have therapeutic or health-giving properties as a consequence. Originally with of and the name of the place of origin; later with the name as premodifier.
ΚΠ
1561 T. Gresham Let. 6 Sept. in J. W. Burgon Life & Times Sir T. Gresham (1839) I. 122 Sir John a Leye ys not yett come from the water of Spawe.
1632 L. Rowzee (title) The Queenes Welles. That is, a treatise of the nature and vertues of Tunbridge water.
1641 in F. P. Verney & M. M. Verney Mem. Verney Family 17th Cent. (1907) I. 207 Waters have twice donn her good and Spaw water is better than the best waters in England.
1693 E. Clarke Let. 2 Aug. in J. Locke & E. Clarke Corr. (1927) 379 Whether advisable to drink the Bath water, if she be desirous of it, whilst she is with child.
1728 Stamford Mercury 21 Mar. 96/1 He also sells Bath and Bristol Waters.
1783 S. Moreau Tour to Cheltenham Spa 42 Old men drink Cheltenham water by the quart.
1879 St. George's Hosp. Rep. 9 579 She was ordered simply a wine-glass of Orezza water after breakfast every morning.
1967 E. S. Turner Taking Cure iii. 40 Knaresborough..was to become eclipsed in reputation by the near-by ‘stinking’ wells, the source of ‘Harrogate water’.
2000 J. Burnett in A. Fenton Order & Disorder xvii. 310 The leading tea merchant, Thomas Twining, was importing 7,000 flasks of Spa water in 1721–2.
6. Water as supplied for use in houses, public buildings, etc., by means of an organized system of water distribution; the water supply in a particular building or residence (later frequently in to turn on (also turn off, cut off, etc.) the water).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > supplied for domestic needs
water1596
1596 J. Harington New Disc. Aiax sig. H2v At Shaftsburie, where water is deerest of anie towne I know.
1653 J. Nicoll Diary (1836) 105 Lytill watter could be fund, bot the pepill of Edinburgh wer forcit to bring thair watter from far.
a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 231 He..turned all the cocks that were then open, and stopt the water.
1748 M. Clare Youth's Introd. Trade & Business (ed. 6) xv. 111 The Servant at 5, finding the Water running, shuts the Tap.
1824 Morning Chron. 24 Aug. A person in the mill..ran to stop the works, by shutting off the water.
1834 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz (1836) 1st Ser. I. 92 At last the company's man came to cut off the water.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. I. 6 The turncock having turned on the water.
1883 Cent. Mag. Sept. 732/2 Turning off the water from one of the pipes.
1908 Jrnl. Gas Lighting 25 Aug. 537/1 Mr. Samuel, with about thirty other traders in the vicinity, had his water cut off, and now secures his supply from the Aldgate pump.
1923 Pop. Sci. Monthly Dec. 65/3 To replace a faucet washer, first shut off the water from the house.
1976 Oadby & Wigston (Leics.) Advertiser 26 Nov. 10/3 Residents of Welford Road, Blaby, were without water for five hours on Sunday after a water main burst.
2010 Kiplinger's Personal Finance Feb. 84/4 If a pipe bursts, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve.
** In figurative use.
7. With reference to the provision of sustenance or refreshment to the soul, spirit, etc. Cf. water of life n.Sometimes contrasted with wine, with the implication of providing comparatively little spiritual, intellectual, etc., nourishment.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > water > [noun] > contrasted with wine
watera1400
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > insipidity > [noun] > weak-tasting thing
watera1400
chipa1691
cat-lap1785
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) Epil. 469 Gif her ðegna hwelc ðyrelne kylle brohte to ðys burnan, bete hine georne, ðylæs he forsceade scirost wætra, oððe him lifes drync forloren weorðe.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 21293 (MED) Þe stile o matheu, water it was, And win þe letter o lucas.
1580 A. Fleming Memoriall W. Lambe C iij b Whose daily custome it was to meditate vpon a Praier booke, called The Conduit of Comfort,..that with the water thereof his soule..might be refreshed.
1588 A. King tr. P. Canisius Cathechisme or Schort Instr. Deuot Prayers 17 b Refraiche thairfor, o lord, my concupiscence with the vatter of thy grace.
1611 Bible (King James) 2 Chron. xviii. 26 Feede him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, vntill I returne in peace. View more context for this quotation
a1710 T. Betterton Bondman (1719) iv. i. 51 Alas! Sir, We have so long fed on the Bread of Sorrow, Drinking the bitter Water of Afflictions.
1821 J. Walker Let. 6 Nov. in W. Burton Ess. & Corr. (1828) II. 352 The bitter water of jealousy.
1934 F. Wilson Diary in S. Harries Nikolaus Pevsner (2011) xiv. 153 It's true that he is water rather than wine, but good water, pleasant to have every day.
2007 P. Clairmont Dancing Bones xv. 151 I've been spending a lot of time in the book of Judges..drinking in the refreshing water of truth.
8. In expressions referring to loss of courage, strength, etc. Chiefly in to turn to water (esp. of an organ or part of the body).For the earlier similative use in the same sense, originally after Joshua 7:5, see sense 3.
ΚΠ
a1425 (c1384) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) (1850) Ezek. vii. 17 Alle hoondis shulen be vndon, and alle knees shulen flowe with waters.
a1625 J. Fletcher Bonduca ii. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Gggg2v/2 See, Captain, The toughnesse of his courage turn'd to water.
1834 R. M. Bird Calavar I. xix. 193 Their hearts were turned to water, and their assurance of victory humbled to the hope of capitulation.
1880 F. Boyle Chron. No-man's Land 171 My heart was water, and grief had dried my marrow.
1899 Academy 11 Nov. 543/1 He called out. The boys' knees turned to water.
1906 Broad Views May 437 Oh, to have the courage to turn! but her heart was water, and her knees shook.
1953 J. Wain Hurry on Down iii. 48 He had been feeling calm, but suddenly his knee-joints turned to water and he felt glad he was sitting down.
2001 C. Glazebrook Madolescents 66 All of a sudden there's a bloodcurdling yowl from outside. My bowels turn to water.
9.
a. Something which quenches or extinguishes passion, enthusiasm, danger, etc. Cf. cold water n. c.Often as part of an extended metaphor relating to the use of water to extinguish fire. Cf. fire n. 13.
ΚΠ
?a1534 H. Medwall Nature sig. f.ii It were more almes to get Some cold water her fyre to quenche I tell you yt ys as warm a wenche As any in all thys strete.
1589 tr. J. de Frégeville Reformed Politicke ii. 36 The fire of schisme must be quenched with the water of reason.
1682 J. Bunyan Greatness of Soul (1691) 3 This kind of Language tends to cast Water upon weak and beginning Desires.
1720 W. R. Chetwood Voy. Capt. R. Falconer iii. 66 How humane it wou'd be, if in the moidst of that Fire of Passion which blazes out, they cou'd sprinkle the cool Water of Reason, and quench it?
1890 Christian Union 8 May 656/1 There are many to throw water on the fire of enthusiasm which has been kindled in her heart.
1908 Bellman 22 Feb. 201/1 The fire that threatened to sweep over the West, seems to have been put out, by the simple application of the water of common-sense.
2012 Birmingham Evening Mail (Nexis) 1 Feb. 43 He's telling me he won't be long now. The doctors might be more cautious and pour water over that enthusiasm.
b. Chiefly in metaphors relating to the diluting of wine: something which has the effective of diluting or mitigating the strength of something. See also sense 32, Phrases 3c.
ΚΠ
a1591 H. Smith Serm. (1594) 467 The Lord will not haue the wine of his word to be mingled and mashed with the water of humane inuentions.
1655 W. Gurnall Christian in Armour: 1st Pt. 148 Water to dash this strong wine of joy, and take away its headinesse.
1759 E. Young Conjectures on Orig. Composition 78 Shakespeare mingled no water with his wine, lower'd his genius by no vapid imitation.
1860 Ld. Acton in F. A. Gasquet Ld. Acton & his Circle (1906) 149 I am afraid you will think I have poured a good deal of water into your wine in ‘Tyrol’ and ‘Syria’.
1906 Westmorland Gaz. 14 Mar. 3/2 He was..heard to say that under our present Fiscal system the wine of our manhood was oozing out while the water of wastrelism was oozing in.
1967 Observer 26 Feb. 24/7 [The cantata] ‘Changes’..seemed..an oddly tepid affair, as though too much of the water of our old choral tradition had got into the wine of Mr Crosse's inspiration.
1993 V. Liapunov tr. M. Bakhtin Toward Philos. of Act (1999) 51 The living, compellent, and inescapable uniqueness of our actual life is diluted with the water of merely thinkable empty possibility.
II. Liquid water considered as a body or mass, or as a medium for movement or other activity.
10.
a. The water of a sea, lake, river, pond, stream, etc. Also: the portion of the earth's surface covered with water, as a region inhabited by its own characteristic forms of life, in contradistinction to the land and the air.piece of water: see piece n. 1a. sheet of water: see sheet n.1 8a.
(a) In singular.
ΚΠ
OE Maxims II 27 Fisc sceal on wætere cynren cennan.
lOE Laws: Gerefa (Corpus Cambr.) iii. 453 He mot ægðer witan..ge betere ge mætre ðæs ðe to tune belimpð, ge on tune ge on dune, ge on wuda ge on wætere, ge on felda ge on falde.
a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 79 Þe uisces iþe wetere and fuȝeles iþe lufte.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) 2968 Aaron held up his hond To ðe water and ðe more-lond.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 399 Þe fiss to watur, als we find, þe fuxol be-taght he to þe wynd.
1473 in C. Rogers Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 178 Tha sal gif al possibil cure and laubour til hald furth the watter with makyn of perys..and plantation of willeis.
a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 165 Dame Nature gaif ane inhibitioun thair To fers Neptunus and Eolus the bawld, Nocht to perturb the wattir nor the air.
1570 T. Tusser Hundreth Good Pointes Husbandry (new ed.) f. 20 Wash shepe (for the better) wher water doth run.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. iii. 77 The Earth hath bubbles, as the Water ha's. View more context for this quotation
1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler 53 Let your bait fall gently upon the water . View more context for this quotation
1705 Philos. Trans. Abridg'd 1665–1700 (Royal Soc.) 1 634 A way to make a Submarine Vessel accommodated with Ways to Row it, and to make it Rise and Sink in the Water.
1764 T. Harmer Observ. Passages Script. i. 35 The water..was ancle-deep, and in some places half way up the leg.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 481 The water in the bay was as even as glass.
1867 D. T. Ansted Physical Geogr. 125 Owing to the position of the land, we have the water divided into two unequal parts, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic canal.
1894 K. Grahame Pagan Papers 129 What boy has ever passed a bit of water without messing in it?
1914 Jrnl. Geol. (Chicago) 22 59 The first of these groups [of amphibians] is represented by small animals of the water which must have existed in enormous numbers.
1961 New Scientist 21 Sept. 719/3 The robot cosmonaut..fell into the water seventy miles from the nearest waiting ship.
2011 J. Watson Raven Queen xvii. 212 Out on the ocean, the iron-gray of the clouds merged with the water.
(b) In plural. Chiefly somewhat literary.The contexts in which the plural, rather than the singular, is used are difficult to characterize; a sea, river, etc., is perhaps more likely to be referred to as consisting of waters when these are conceived as constituting a collective body, or as acting as an agency, than as a simple substance or medium.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > [noun]
waterOE
undc1200
wawc1290
flowinga1382
water wave?1555
wale1565
wave1671
OE St. Mary of Egypt (Julius) (2002) 110 Þa geseah he witodlice þæt heo mid Cristes rodetacne Iordanes wæteru [L. Iordanis aquas] bletsode.
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xiv. 28 Drihten, gyf þu hyt eart hat me cuman to þe ofer þas wæteru [L. super aquas].
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 382 Þe watters al he cald þe see.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 437 Þen he wakened a wynde on watterez to blowe.
?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) v. met. i. l. 4374 Sone aftre þe same ryueres tigris and eufrates vnioygnen and departen hire watres [L. abiunctis dissociantur aquis].
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms lxxvii. 19 Thy waye was in the see, and thy pathes in the great waters.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors sig. H2v There be ryuers, whose waters are poyson.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) i. ii. 1 If by your Art (my deerest father) you haue Put the wild waters in this Rore; alay them. View more context for this quotation
1684 J. P. von Valcaren Relation Siege Vienna 55 About this time the Waters of the Danube swelled so high as to break down the Bridge which the Enemy had made.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis ix, in tr. Virgil Wks. 468 Old Tyber roar'd; and raising up his Head, Call'd back his Waters to their Oozy Bed.
1725 C. Pitt tr. M. G. Vida Art Poetry i. 8 [They] Who at the limpid stream their thirst may slake, Yet choose the tainted waters of the lake.
1774 O. Goldsmith Grecian Hist. II. iii. 174 A river not so remarkable for the breadth of its channel, as for the beauty of its waters.
1798 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Marinere v, in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads 28 Like waters shot from some high crag, The lightning falls with never a jag A river steep and wide.
1807 W. Wordsworth Ode in Poems II. 156 And see the Children sport upon the shore, And hear the mighty waters rolling evermore. View more context for this quotation
1844 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Apr. 409/1 The gondola.., gliding rapidly and silently over the still waters of the canals, was passing a turn leading to the Giudecca, when [etc.].
1891 F. W. Farrar Darkness & Dawn I. xiii. 101 They..had been baptised in the waters of their native river.
1912 Blackwood's Mag. Sept. 354/2 The slow waters of the river, purring around the stays and staging-piles.
1945 T. Raddall Tambour & Other Stories 271 To the west shone the waters of Panook, first of the lakes.
2008 Alaska June 58/1 A handful of other hardy souls brave the knife-cold waters of the Gulf of Alaska to snorkel.
b. In figurative contexts (chiefly in plural).troubled waters: see troubled adj. 1. to fish in troubled waters: see fish v.1 1c. to pour oil on troubled waters: see oil n.1 Phrases 3. still waters run deep: see Phrases 5. See also clear water n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > difficult state of things > difficult or dangerous affairs
waterOE
troubled waters1632
the world > action or operation > difficulty > [phrase] > in a difficult position > in straits
waterOE
straitly steadc1400
need-stead?c1450
at the worst hand1490
in suds1575
lock1598
at a bad hand1640
in a wood1659
in bad bread1743
up a stump1829
in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot1851
up shit creek1868
in the cart1889
in the soup1889
out on a limb1897
in a spot1929
up the creek1941
consommé1957
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > there is danger in a course of action [phrase] > in a dangerous situation
through fire (and water)eOE
waterOE
near the fire1560
between two fires1686
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > [noun] > instance or cause of > dangerous subject or affair
waterOE
troubled waters1632
firecracker1845
minefield1963
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of being upset or perturbed > worry > anxiety > [noun] > cause of acute anxiety
waterOE
tenterhook1532
OE Paris Psalter (1932) lxviii.1 Do me halne, god, forþon hreoh wæter to minum feore inn floweð and gangeð.
lOE Distichs of Cato (Trin. Cambr.) lxii, in Anglia (1972) 90 13 Ne truwa þu no smyltum wætre, ne bilwitne monn ne forsioh: oft stille wæter staðu breceð.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Psalms lxviii. 2 God, mac me saf; for watris camen in vnto my soule.
1559 in J. Strype Ann. Reformation (1725) I. App. vi. 8 Hazarde..ourselves to be..drowned in the waters of schisme.
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1962) X. 177 Come from your troubled waters, your waters of contention, of anxiety, of envy, of solicitude, and vexation for worldly encumbrances.
1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ i. iii. §8 Joseph Scaliger who hath troubled the waters so much concerning the particular circumstances of this translation, yet fully agrees that it was done in the time of Ptolomæus Philadelphus.
1720 D. Defoe Mem. Cavalier 22 The Cardinal..was..not on very good Terms with the Queen, but willing to keep smooth Water there.
1786 B. Rush Let. 25 May in R. Price Corr. (1994) III. 32 His presence and advice, like oil upon troubled waters, have composed the contending waves of faction which for so many years agitated the State of Pennsylvania.
1849 Graham's Mag. Jan. 60/2 The Power that guided me through a painful childhood—a bitter womanhood—and led me at last to the quiet waters of peaceful prosperity.
1873 J. E. Cooke Her Majesty the Queen iv. viii. 244 An unforeseen incident..which was to send me forth again upon the stormy waters of that troubled epoch.
1902 W. Adamson Life J. Parker 204 An unwonted interest was created by Dr. Parker's visit. The usually quiet ecclesiastical waters were stirred.
1916 Everybody's Mag. 35 131 When the waters of business are stagnant, gentlemen, it becomes necessary, if I may say so, to prime the pump.
1960 Newsweek 16 May 34/1 Into the already-roiled waters of the South, Negroes will wade this summer in a campaign to break down segregation at public beaches.
2005 Asian Age 28 Sept. 12/3 The Sensex thrashed around in choppy waters, going down twice and finally ending 46.61 points up at 8585.76.
2013 Wag! (Dogs Trust) Summer 4/2 Couples dipping a toe into the waters of responsibility by getting a dog before they try for a baby.
c. In plural. The seas and oceans in a particular part of the world; that part of the sea which is regarded as under the jurisdiction of a particular state (cf. territorial waters n. at territorial adj. and n. Compounds).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [noun] > in specific part of world
waters1586
home waters1838
economic zone1890
1586 W. Warner Albions Eng. iii. xiv. 57 If Scythia could haue hild the wandring King thy Syre, Then Brittish waters had not bin to him deserued bayne.
1659 in Rec. Convent. Burghs Scotl. (1878) III. 487 Who..went aboard of tuo Dutch wessellis lying near Inchkeyth, being within our watteris.
1776 G. G. Ståhlberg Hist. Late Revol. Sweden iii. 316 The Bothnick Bay..is the most northern of the Swedish waters.
1791 H. Knox Let. 22 Jan. in W. Lowrie & M. St. C. Clarke Amer. State Papers (1832) IV. 113 The population of the lands lying on the Western waters is increasing rapidly.
1827 J. F. Cooper Prairie I. vii. 103 What will the Yankee Choppers say, when they have cut their path from the eastern to the western waters.
1876 R. Routledge Discov. & Inventions 19th Cent. 83 In American waters..a number of steamboats plied regularly for some years before the invention had received a corresponding development in England.
1920 Round Table Dec. 89 The Alliance..freed us from the necessity of keeping more than a skeleton force in eastern waters in order to defend the Dominions and India.
1957 P. White Voss xi. 318 Two ships of Her Majesty's Navy, cruising in Southern waters, put in at Sydney for the purpose of refitting.
2005 Sun (Nexis) 11 June (Travel section) Last Saturday, the new Thomson Celebration returned to British waters.
†d. A pictorial representation of a tract of water; = water piece n. 3. Usually in plural. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to subject > [noun] > a painting of the sea or water
sea-piece1681
water1706
water piece1761
sea-view1781
seascape1799
marine1817
waterscape1826
riverscape1884
1706 B. Buckeridge Ess. Eng. School in J. Savage tr. R. de Piles Art of Painting 461 His [sc. James Rousseau's] Views are commonly Sylvan and solid, his Waters of all kinds, well understood and transparent.
1749 P. Francis in tr. Horace Art of Poetry in P. Francis & W. Dunkin tr. Horace Epistles (new ed.) 216 (note) It is chiefly in this View, that Ruisdale's Waters, and Claude Lorrain's Skies are so admirable.
e. Water (as in a stream, ditch, or the like) as an obstacle for a horse to jump in the course of a hunt, steeplechase, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > hunting with hounds > [noun] > riding after hounds > type of fence > other obstacles
over1591
water1840
1840 Blackburn Standard 2 Dec. Whether hedge or ditch, water or timber, brook or bull finch, it matters not, she takes all in her stroke, and gets very few falls.
1860 W. P. Lennox Pict. Sporting Life I. 328 You will find him [sc. a horse] a splendid fencer, I never saw the like of him at timber or water; no gate or brook will stop him.
1879 Punch 13 Dec. 267 I've never tried this horse at water.
1907 Outing Aug. 628/1 Horses need rousing at water of course, but there are several ways of accomplishing that end.
1989 B. Freeman Kit's Kingdom i. 28 She wrote about riding to hounds on Trina, who stubbornly refused to jump water.
2002 Evening Standard (Nexis) 20 June 85 We will have to see whether the horse is manageable and jumps water, or whether he is still a bit wild.
11. A body of water on the surface of the earth.
a. A body or mass of standing or flowing water, irrespective of size or type; a sea, lake, river, etc.For specific uses denoting particular types of bodies of water, see sense 11b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun]
watereOE
freshlOE
openc1485
strand1513
shard1590
water body1723
drink1832
lane1835
swim1880
nappe1887
dead zone1971
eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) iv. xxi. 320 Þa eodon heo in scip, forþon Elia lond is æghwonan mid wætrum [L. aquis] & mid fennum ymbseald.
OE Homily: Sermo ad Populum Dominicis Diebus (Lamb. 489) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 293 He sloh mid anre gyrde on þa sæ, and heo toeode on twa, and þæt folc for betwux þam twam wæterum on þam grunde ealle drygsceode.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 19 Wateres he [sc. Engelond] haþ ek inouȝ ac at uore alle oþere þre Out of þe lond in to þe se, armes as þei it be..Severne & temese, homber is þet þridde.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 5918 (MED) All þe waters on þis land Wex son in to blod redd.
?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 63 And he sall passe þe water þat es called Brace Sayne George, þe whilk es ane arme of þe see.
1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth x. sig. E.ivv Standynge waters the whiche be refresshed with a fresshe spryng is commendable.
1580 in G. J. Piccope Lancs. & Cheshire Wills (1857) I. 72 I have maid a lease of my capitall and chieffe messuages in lyttle Mearley [etc.]..with th'..waters, ffisshings, moores [etc.]..to Rauffe Tetlowe.
1604 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Acosta Nat. & Morall Hist. Indies ii. ii. 84 This region is wonderfully scorched and drie; and so by consequence, hath neither waters nor pastures.
a1633 G. Herbert Outlandish Prov. (1640) sig. B8v Who letts his wife goe to every feast, and his horse drinke at every water, shall neither have good wife nor good horse.
1695 J. Locke Some Thoughts conc. Educ. (new ed.) §7. 9 Horace..assures us, he was wont in the Winter Season to bathe himself in cold Water. But perhaps Italy will be thought much warmer than England, and the chilness of their Waters not to come near ours in Winter.
1757 W. Burke Acct. European Settlem. Amer. II. vii. xxi. 235 Though the winters are sharp,..yet they are seldom severe enough to freeze any considerable water.
1828 R. Duppa Trav. Italy 195 This whirlpool [sc. Charybdis] is an agitated water, from seventy to ninety fathoms in depth, circling in quick eddies.
1836 H. Murray et al. Hist. China I. i. 29 Along the lower course of both these magnificent waters [sc. the Hohang-ho and Yang-tse-kiang].
1850 Ld. Tennyson In Memoriam lxv. 92 In thy place of rest By that broad water of the west. View more context for this quotation
1898 Edinb. Rev. Jan. 192 Hundreds of the swallow family may sometimes be seen together, hawking for flies over the London waters on a fine April morning.
1913 R. Blind tr. L. Frobenius Voice Afr. II. xviii. 369 The city lay by a great water in which there was neither crocodile, nor serpent, nor river-horse.
1922 W. Emerson When North Winds Blow iv. 77 The typical Rangeley trout are found in all the waters of the region, large and small.
1994 J. N. Cole Away All Boats 58 A small wooden boat that..had been so badly treated that she was no longer seaworthy in any waters, including Georgica Pond.
b. spec.
(a) A body of flowing water; a river or stream. Often in the water of (prefixed to the name of a river or place). In later use chiefly Scottish and (now less commonly) English regional (northern).Often in the names of small rivers, as Water of Leith, Allan Water, etc., especially in Scotland, although such river names also survive in other parts of the British Isles.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > [noun] > a river or stream
watereOE
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) i. i. 11 Þonne of þæm æwielme mon hæt þæt wæter Nilus þa ea.
OE Genesis A (1931) 2213 Eall þæt sculon agan eaforan þine, þeodlanda gehwilc, swa þa þreo wæter steape stanbyrig streamum bewindað, famige flodas.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough interpolation) anno 963 Swa þurh Merelade on an to þet wæter þet man cleopeð Nen [L. ad aquam Nen].
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 7093 All þatt land iss ec saba, Affterr þatt waterr nemmnedd.
c1300 St. John Baptist (Laud) 85 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 32 Cominde toward baptisingue..Toward þe watere of Iordan.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 8850 Bituene tueye wateres he rerde redinge, Bituene kenet & temese.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 3009 (MED) A stille water..Which hihte of Lethes the rivere.
a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) 10528 Þys batayle [was] þurghe here boþe assent Besyde a watyr men calle Trent.
c1450 (c1430) Brut (Galba) (1908) 427 The Erle of Armynacke with the dolfynys meyne..mette with the Duke of Clarence and his meyne by this watir of Leyre.
a1525 ( Coventry Leet Bk. (1907) I. 46 From the watur of Schirburn, þat rennyth to Whitley vnto Hethesale.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms cxxxvi[i]. 1 By the waters [1611 King James rivers] of Babilon we sat downe and wepte.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Tobit vi. 1 Ye first night they abode by the water of Tigris [Luther bei dem Wasser Tigris].
1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. ccccxxvij The kyng went vp the water of Some.
1610 in A. Macdonald & J. Dennistoun Misc. Maitland Club (1833) I. 416 Scho said her mother tuik hir doun the watter to a Heyland woman.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant ii. 47 Near to this Town, runs a Water that passes under a Bridge of five Arches.
1721 in W. Macfarlane Geogr. Coll. Scotl. (1906) I. 44 Thorow this Parish runs the River Eugie Eastward, the Inhabitants there call it the water of Strichen.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at River We must not omit here a water in Germany, which is ordinarily supposed to change iron into copper.
1761 F. Sheridan Mem. Miss Sidney Bidulph II. 291 He was drowned in crossing a deep water on horseback.
1853 Tait's Edinb. Mag. May 305/1 Why is it that our Glasgow poet has not taken us ‘doon the water’, among the lochs and firths, and glorious island glimpses of his own lovely land?
1865 A. Geikie Scenery & Geol. Scotl. i. 18 Streams, intermediate in size between brooks and rivers, are known in Scotland as ‘waters’.
1868 G. R. Tate in J. G. Baker & G. R. Tate New Flora Northumberland & Durham i. i. 2 The burns and waters wend their way from the hills through contracted vales and narrow picturesque denes.
1902 M. J. H. Skrine World's Delight ii. iii. 134 ‘And you've a-come 'ere to bide?’ ‘Ay. In an unco' big boat... Down the watter—eh! but it was far.’
1916 Caledonian Aug. 160/2 Thomas Buchanan of Mid Leowen, now known as The Moss, on the water of Blane, one and a half miles south of Kilearn.
1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 151/2 Watter,..a river. ‘T'Tees Watter’, ‘Esk Watther’, &c.
1934 J. Buchan Free Fishers vi. 92 That's the water o' Yonder ye see in the howe, and Yonderdale begins where the twae hills hurkle thegither.
1948 J. G. Johnston Come fish with Me 207 A ‘water’ is something bigger than a burn, but not large enough to be called a river.
2014 Express (Scottish ed.) (Nexis) 18 Sept. 19 Up until the late Sixties, fleets of paddle steamers brought holidaymakers ‘doon the watter’ to it [sc. Dunoon] and other Clyde resorts.
(b) A body of standing water; a lake, pool, tarn, etc.Also in many proper names, notably Derwentwater, Wastwater, Ullswater, Haweswater, etc., in the English Lake District (see note in etymology).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > lake > [noun]
mereeOE
laya1000
lakec1275
poolc1275
watera1325
loughc1330
loch1427
broad1659
Mediterranean1661
Mediterrane1694
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 749 Nov ist a water of loðlic ble, Men calið it ðe dede se.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 13760 A water þar es wit-in þair thede, þat es cald piscene in þair lede.
c1410 (c1390) G. Chaucer Parson's Tale (Harl. 7334) (1885) §841 Seint Iohan saith þat aduoutris schuln be in helle in watir [c1405 Ellesmere in a stank; Fr. estanc, L. stagnum] brennyng of fuyr and of brimston.
a1425 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1869) I. 301 (MED) Crist wandride bi þe water of Galile.
1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Scotl. 26/2 in Chron. I He..buylt an other Citie in the East parte of the Realme neare to the water called Lochnesse, which he named Enuernesse, after the name of the same water.
1641 J. Jackson True Evangelical Temper iii. 209 The other is two pots floting upon a pond, or surface of a water with this word, If we knock together, we sink together.
1655 I. Walton Compl. Angler (ed. 2) xiii. 272 The River Dee..springs in Merionnith-shire, & as it runs toward Chester, it runs through Pemble-Mere, which is a large water.
1756 T. Amory Life John Buncle I. 191 A water on the top of a hill, which stood at the other end of the lake.
1799 A. Young Gen. View Agric. County Lincoln 27 A large lawn, a water half a mile long, a very handsome bridge over it.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Morte d'Arthur in Poems (new ed.) II. 4 On one side lay the Ocean, and on one Lay a great water, and the moon was full.
1878 Mrs. R. P. Wilson Let. 9 June in From Buffalo to Vienna (1881) 26 The front of the Grand Palace looking toward the very beautiful woods, lawns and waters of the park, is architecturally, quite grand and imposing.
1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad xli. 58 And like a skylit water stood The bluebells in the azured wood.
1914 National Mag. Oct. 117/2 The fine lawn slopes gently toward a tranquil water.
2010 Guardian (Nexis) 30 Aug. 26 Mist and darkness threaten Johnson's attempt to visit the 27 lakes, meres and waters of the Lake District in under 24 hours.
c. With the, denoting a particular body of water (not specified in the context) as something to be navigated or (especially) crossed. Chiefly in various prepositional constructions, as across, over, this side of the water, etc. See also over the water at Phrases 1g.Used esp. with reference to the sea (originally those parts of the sea separating parts of the British Isles from neighbouring land masses; later also the North Atlantic Ocean: cf. pond n. 2); also of the main river or waterway in particular cities, e.g. the Thames in London.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [phrase] > on this side of the sea
water1473
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > [adverb] > on River Thames
water1722
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [phrase] > on the other side of the sea
over (also across) the water1748
water1749
1473 in T. Dickson Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1877) I. 43 Gevin to Johnne of Pennycuke..passande oure the watter to Desart.
1529 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1871) II. 20 Ther is now ane fair to be hald on that vther syd of the walter, that is to say in Sanct Monanis.
1587 J. White in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) 766 These sauages..beat his head in peeces, and fled ouer the water to the maine.
1600 Essex Reb. Exam. (MS.) in C. M. Ingleby & L. T. Smith Shakespeare's Cent. Prayse (1879) 35 They went all together to the Globe over the water wher the L. Chamberlens men vse to play.
?c1600 (c1515) Sc. Field (Lyme) 120 in I. F. Baird Poems Stanley Family (D.Phil. thesis, Univ. of Birm.) (1990) 234 Shott into a sure shipp, and shoggeth over the water Into Scotland.
1662 King Charles II Let. 4 Dec. in J. M. Cartwright Madame (1894) 128 People on this side the watter love there profit as well as they do every where else.
1680 V. Alsop Mischief Impositions v. 31 We may be Schismaticks here in England, when, if we cross the water, we shall be none.
1701 Argument for War 25 The Project may pass on the other side the water, but will never be Merchantable, I hope, in England.
1722 D. Defoe Due Prepar. Plague 73 There yet died..but 16 in the whole Body of Buildings on the Surrey Side of the Water.
1765 Museum Rusticum 4 234 As your work is in such high reputation on this side of the water, it is a matter of great surprise to me, that you should not have many correspondents amongst such of our Irish gentlemen as are improving their estates.
1808 Maryland Herald 29 July The hope that a radical change of politics must be the consequence on this side of the water [sc. the Atlantic].
1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward I. Introd. p. xlvii An immense assiêtte of spinage, not smoothed into a uniform surface, as by our uninaugurated cooks upon your side of the water.
1853 C. Dickens Bleak House xxi. 214 The theatre over, Mr. George comes across the water again, and makes his way to that curious region lying about the Haymarket and Leicester Square.
1892 Field 14 May 730/2 Our friends across the water do not appear to know how to condition a dog.
1901 Essex Weekly News 15 Mar. 3/3 At Chelmsford the mare would fetch £4 because it was going across the water to be made into meat extract.
1934 H. Miller Tropic of Cancer 194 One of the big mucky-mucks from the other side of the water had decided to make economies.
1978 D. Murphy Place Apart iii. 49 Their two sons are at school at Enniskillen and soon..will be off to study ‘across the water’.
2000 Nature 3 Aug. 460/2 For Americans, Einstein was the superhuman genius who came from over the water to establish his abode in Princeton.
2014 Belfast Tel. (Nexis) 10 Oct. 6 Can't believe this kid is only 21, and I am pleased to say he's from this side of the water.
d. Scottish and English regional (Northumberland). The banks of a river; the inhabitants of the district bordering on a river. Sc. National Dict. (at cited word) records this sense as still in use in southern Scotland (in form waiter) in 1973.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > land mass > shore or bank > bank > [noun] > of river
sidec1275
rive1296
bankc1303
brae1330
riversidea1425
brook-sidec1450
ripec1475
pleyc1503
riverbanka1522
burn-sidec1540
greave1579
wharf1603
watera1800
riva1819
brook-bank1861
riverine1864
hag1886
a1800 Jamie Telfer in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ballads (1894) V. ix. 250/2 Gar warn the water, braid and wide [preceding stanza has warn the water-side], And warn the Currers i the shaw.
1801 J. Stoddart Remarks Local Scenery & Manners Scotl. II. 270 ‘The water’ is here provincially used for ‘the neighbourhood’; and a traveller asking for salt-fish, or pickled herring, may, perhaps, be surprised at receiving for answer, that ‘there is none in the water’.
a1859 Denham Tracts (1892) I. 313 The Coquet Water. The Northumbrians use the above expression in a peculiar sense; signifying thereby the district of the country immediately adjoining the river bearing that name.
1894 M. Oliphant Who was Lost i. 9 There's another muckle paper-mill to be set up on our water.
1914 Sc. Hist. Rev. 11 218 The long-disused pack-horse road..which leads from Cocklawfoot into Coquet Water.
12.
a. In singular. A flood. Now rare (somewhat archaic in later use).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > flood or flooding > [noun]
streamc950
water floodOE
floodc1000
waterOE
diluvya1325
waterganga1325
flowinga1340
delugec1374
diluvec1386
Noah's floodc1390
overflowing1430
inundation1432
flowa1450
surrounding1449
over-drowninga1500
spate1513
float1523
drowning1539
ravine1545
alluvion1550
surundacion1552
watershot1567
overflow1589
ravage1611
inunding1628
surroundera1642
water breach1669
flooding1799
debacle1802
diluviation1816
deluging1824
superflux1830
whelm1842
come1862
floodage1862
sheet-flood1897
flash flooding1939
flash-flood1940
OE Genesis A (1931) 1395 Fære ne moston wægliðendum wætres brogan hæste hrinon, ac hie halig god ferede and nerede.
OE Wærferð tr. Gregory Dialogues (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) iii. xix. 220 Þær wæron manige men inne, þa þa seo cyrice wæs utan ymbseald mid þæs wætres mycelnesse.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 26 There blew a grete wynde and blew downe hir castels and hir townys, and aftir that com a watir and bare hit all away.
1534 G. Joye tr. Jeremy Prophete xlvi. f. lxxxiiv But who is this that swelleth rysing vp lyke a flowde, roringe lyke a grete rysing water?
1624 W. Yonge Diary Nov. (1848) 77 The great army of Spinola before Breda,..was removed by God himself, who sent a great water and drowned his trenches, by means whereof he was enforced to remove.
1740 H. Walpole Let. 4 Dec. in Corr. (1948) XIII. 237 If you have had a great wind in England, we have had a great water at Florence... Yesterday, with violent rains, there came flouncing down from the mountains such a flood, that it floated the whole city.
1856 C. Dickens Little Dorrit (1857) i. 323 The ascending Night came up the mountain like a rising water.
1905 W. A. Fraser Sa'-Zada Tales 67 One day when the jungle was much torn by strong, fierce winds, a great water came over the land, and ate up all the Cattle, and many of the Men-kind.
1977 D. Richardson Lords of Earth iii. 59 As they groped in fear a terrible water came and swept them all away.
b. In plural. Floodwaters.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > flood water > [noun]
watersOE
water floodOE
suds1599
OE Ælfric Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) vii. 17 Wæs ða geworden micel flod & ða wæteru wæron gemenifylde & ahefde [read ahefdon] up ðone arc.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 592 Ðo was ilc fleis on werde slagen, Ðo gunnen ðe wateres hem wið-dragen.
1523 Earl of Surrey Let. 3 Oct. in State Papers Henry VIII (1836) IV. 44 By reason of the greate waters that was rysen with this rayne that fell thies 3 dayes paste.
a1552 J. Leland Itinerary (1711) IV. 99 Leaving Ottemor on the right Hand, that if the Waters had not beene up had beene the next waye.
1617 F. Moryson Itinerary ii. 74 Some were drowned passing the waters then very high.
1684 W. Hedges Diary 4 Sept. (1887) I. 159 The Waters were risen so high that men waded to their middle in most of the Streets.
1743 E. Montagu Let. 8 Jan. in E. J. Climenson Elizabeth Montagu (1906) I. 141 We were met..by a Messenger..to tell us the waters were out at Burroughbridge, and that we could not pass them.
1791 B. West in European Mag. (1794) Sept. 165/1 (title of painting) The abating of the waters after the Deluge.
1841 Christian Remembrancer May 364 Three persons were drowned; and even the pigs..were found dead about the ruins when the waters had subsided.
1876 W. Morris Story of Sigurd ii. 91 The rush and rattle of waters, as the downlong flood swept by.
1928 ‘C. Adair’ Shimmering Waters i. iv. 50 ‘The waters are coming! The waters are out!’ The cry passed from mouth to mouth, even as the torrential wave..bore down from the rent mountain-side upon the lower-lying lands beneath.
1977 W. K. Powers Oglala Relig. vii. 85 At one time a great flood visited the western plains. Many tribes came to the prairie hills to escape from the rising waters.
2014 Bangor (Maine) Daily News (Nexis) 16 Apr. The East Branch of the Penobscot River flooded onto several hundred feet of Grindstone Road.., but the waters abated by Wednesday afternoon.
13. Water as the medium of travel for ships, boats, etc., or as the setting for trade, business, leisure, etc., carried out on ships, boats, or other craft. Esp. in on (also upon) (the) water (formerly also †a water; cf. a prep.1). See also Phrases 1c, Phrases 1f(b).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun] > water viewed as medium of transit
watereOE
waterway1858
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) iii. xi. 81 Hie ealle winnende wæron wið Antigones, & wið Demetrias his sunu, sume on londe, sume on wætere.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1122 Þæræfter wæron feole scipmen on sæ & on wæter & saedon þet hi sægon on norðeast fir micel & brad wið þone eorðe.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 43 (MED) Ure helende..ferde sumwile mid mede ouere water.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 283 Iseih his broðer ferden hu heo iuaren weren. a wætere [c1300 Otho watere] & a londe.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) 574 (MED) He woren on water driuen..in ðe arche.
a1400 Siege Jerusalem (Laud) (1932) l. 51 (MED) Nathan..An heye setteþ þe sayl ouer þe wode water &..on þe deep drof on faste.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xviii. l. 242 (MED) Peter..went on þe water.
a1500 (?c1425) Speculum Sacerdotale (1936) 248 (MED) A grete oste..londyd and lafte water at the londe callyd Terra Calabritidis.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 64v Prothylus..put on þe water ffyfte shippes fyn.
1613 M. Ridley Short Treat. Magneticall Bodies 16 As a ship upon the water is directed even forward by the sterne and ruther.
1669 S. Pepys Diary 28 May (1976) IX. 563 Spent the evening on the water, making sport with the Westerne bargees.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver II. iv. iii. 37 It was impossible that..a parcel of Brutes could move a wooden Vessel whither they pleased upon Water.
1758 J. Blake Plan Marine Syst. 28 Great numbers of men..are employed in the coasting trade, or otherwise upon the water.
1838 J. F. Cooper Home as Found I. ix. 150 He rises early, and is out on the water, or up in the forest, all the morning.
1883 G. C. Davies Norfolk Broads xxxii. 251 The eelmen, living so much on the water..become very observant.
1914 Scotsman 24 Aug. 4/2 Germany has to-day another enemy in the field and on the water.
1922 C. Laurin Scand. Arts 515 Michael Ancher and Kröyer portrayed the stout seadogs in hip-boots and southwesters at their work on the water.
1972 E. Staebler Cape Breton Harbour 41 ‘Nice day out on the water,’ he said, ‘though it's gettin' loppy.’
1994 Thousand Islands Sun Vacationer (N.Y.) 17 Aug. 4/2 Historic race boats, antique outboards and inboards, classic hydroplanes, and Gold Cup racers will all take to the water.
2006 A. M. Foley Having my Say xi. 59 When I started working on the water, more market boats than trucks carried the catch.
14.
a. The level of the tide, or of the water in a river or other waterway.Earliest in high water n. 1. See also low water n. 1.† full water n. Obsolete = full tide n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > [noun] > high
main floodc1303
full flooda1375
full sea1390
high water1422
full water1498
full tide1538
high tide1546
tide1570
headwater1594
young flood1611
pleni-tide1617
top of flood1867
1422 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 128 (MED) Þer is a commune Steyre..þe whiche is myscheuously broken and ryght perilous to þe peple þat comen þerto atte hye water or by nyght.
c1460 Let. in Publ. Southampton Rec. Soc. (1921) 22 22 Att eu[er]y lowe water it [sc. a castle] maye be assauted.
1498 Interpr. Names Goddis & Goddesses (de Worde) sig. Aij/2 Where as I sholde haue fyllyd dyches depe At a full water I myght not thyder crepe Before my season came to retorne ageyne.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. ccixv The water rose three foote above the wharfe, where the Key stode in Andwarpe.
1619 W. Phillip tr. W. C. Schouten Relation Wonderfull Voiage 17 When the water was low, wee had but foot water, whereby the Vnitie lay with her stearne fast on ground, it being ful of cliffes, the wind was west from the land.
1700 S. L. tr. C. Schweitzer Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 324 We often used to go to bath in that River, and seek for precious Stones, but not when the Water was high, for fear of the Crocodiles.
1758 R. Griffiths Descr. Thames 162 But this is a Charge only in Summer, and paid for Flashes when the Water is low.
1838 Penny Cycl. X. 59/2 Between the rock and the walls of Egripos is a distance of 33 feet, and the least depth at the highest water is 7 feet.
1904 Internat. Q. Mar. 434 The Danube..must be able to accommodate canal-boats with a minimum draught of 1.80 metres even at the lowest water.
1960 Hartford (Connecticut) Courant 16 July 16/5 The highest water in the river reaches over 20 feet above mean tide.
2006 Metro (Toronto) 15 Aug. 4 (caption) A fisheries guardian said he has never seen water so low.
b. Quantity or depth of water, as affording sufficient or insufficient clearance to allow something (esp. a boat) to be floated or moved without grounding.to draw (so much) water: see draw v. 29.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun] > sufficient depth for navigation
water1546
1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue ii. viii. sig. Kiiv There was no more water than the shyp drew.
1580 H. Smith in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) ii. 469 There was not water for the boate betweene Vaigats and the other side: finding no more water, there was no other way but to goe backe as we came in.
1584 R. Norman tr. C. Antoniszoon Safegard of Sailers f. 7 Item, from the north Buie to the Nese, keepe the north Buie with Memelicke, as far as you can see, till you bring those two steeples or towers into one, and then you shall haue water enough.
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. ix. 45 Water borne is when there is no more water than will iust beare her from the ground.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World ix. 264 There is Water enough for Boats and Canoas to enter, and smooth landing after you are in.
1716 London Gaz. No. 5416/1 There not being Water enough, she was not launched.
1791 R. Mylne 2nd Rep. Navigation Thames 10 Good Water from thence to Moulsford.
1831 J. Davis Let. 3 Feb. in Papers (1971) I. 174 About 25 miles from its Source this river receives a tributary, up to which there is always water enough for Mackenaw boats.
1847 Naut. Gazetteer i. 132/2 There are several small islands in this bay, with sufficient water to sail round them.
1921 Motor Boating Aug. 84 (advt.) Any place where there is water enough to float a log the ‘Tunnel-King’ will go—swiftly and safely.
1961 L. Wibberley Sea Captain from Salem vi. 62 Even with the fullest flood tide, there was still not enough water to sail the brig over the Waard Granden.
2013 Bristol Post (Nexis) 8 May 10 There's not enough water for the boats to move in and out. It's very shallow.
III. A fluid present in or secreted or excreted from the body of a human or animal.
15. Tears. Cf. water v. 6.In quot. eOE with reference to Lamentations 3:48, ‘Mine eye runneth downe with riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people’ (King James Bible).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > weeping > [noun] > a tear > tears
watereOE
salt waterc1400
moisture?c1425
brine1594
rheum1597
dew1598
lachrymas1602
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) liii. 413 Todældu wæteru [L. aquas] we lætað ut of urum eagum, ðonne we for synderlecum synnum synderleca hreowsunga doð.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 276 Iblescet beo þu lauerd. þe..efter wopi wattres [c1230 Corpus Cambr. wopi weattres, a1250 Nero wopi wateres, a1400 Pepys weping waters] ȝeldest bliðe murchðes.
c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. v. l. 44 And made William to weope watur with his [MS boþe his] eȝen.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. l. 2194 Ther was no wiht, if he hem syhe, Fro water mihte kepe his yhe.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. d The watter wet his chekis.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 111 Care hade the kyng for Cassibilon his son..ffull tendurly with teris tynt myche watur.
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 1391/1 With that the water stoode in Marbeckes eyes. Why weepest thou, quoth ye gentleman?
1622 in W. Foster Eng. Factories India 1622–3 (1908) 52 [It] made the watter roune doune my checks to looke one them.
1664 W. Johnson Deus Nobiscum 29 Saul..shed the blood of God's dearest children, and that was to pierce our Saviours side, and to fetch water from his eyes, and blood from his heart.
1769 I. Bickerstaff Captive ii. iii. 17 Down my old cheeks it forces water, To hear your cruel taunts and flings.
1787 Generous Attachm. I. 167 Enough to unsluice the water from any female eye.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. vi. 112 A dexterous rap on the nose with the key, which brought the water into his eyes.
1899 K. Chopin Awakening iv. 18 He was not apt to rush crying to his mother's arms for comfort; he would more likely pick himself up, wipe the water out of his eyes..and go on playing.
1912 ‘R. Dehan’ Between Two Thieves viii. 46 ‘It does not matter,’ said de Moulny, but his long upper lip quivered and the water stood in his own eyes.
1979 E. Lovelace Dragon can't Dance x. 143 He found that he had water in his eyes too. And he smoothened her hair and he didn't know what to say.
2007 K. St. John Kiss & Dwell xiv. 198 Monique blinked the water from her eyes and wondered—if she had another chance with Ryan, what would she say, what would she do?
16. Watery (typically serous) fluid produced by a pathological process or condition (as oedema, effusion, hydrocephalus, etc.); accumulation of such fluid; a collection of such fluid.water on the brain, water on the knee: see Phrases 3b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > secretory organs > secretion > [noun] > fluid secretion > watery fluid
waterOE
waterinessa1400
serosity1601
latex1650
sanies1661
serum1672
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the skin or complexion > [noun] > preparations for the skin or complexion > lotions and liquids
waterOE
maiden milk?a1425
May-dew?a1425
milk of almondsa1425
maidens' milk?c1450
lac Virginis1477
surflingc1555
surfle1593
virgin's milk1600
lotion1606
washa1627
beauty water1675
mercury-water1676
beauty wash1706
Kalydor1824
skin tonic1863
flower-water1886
Limacol1936
moisture lotion1957
toning lotion1960
toner1970
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > discharge or flux > discharge [verb (intransitive)] > discharge watery fluid
to run on water?1523
to run on water1566
weep1882
OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) xxvi. 72 Wið wæterseocnysse genim þas ylcan wyrte... Wundurlice he [sc. the patient] þæt wæter [L. aquam] þurh micgðan forlæteð.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. vii. lix. 418 Þe posteme and þe wounde..haueþ many holes, of þe whyche holes comeþ watir of diuers coloures, now white, now ȝelowȝ.
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 146 If..waterez had descended in to þe osseum, be þer put in a probe by myddez of þe dindime toward þe burse, þat þe waterz be drawen out fro it.
?a1425 MS Hunterian 95 f. 107, in Middle Eng. Dict. at Pregnacioun Summe childerne be borne with þe heued fulle of water.
1541 T. Elyot Castel of Helthe (new ed.) 83 b Whan they [sc. children] waxe elder, than be they greved with..wormes of the bealy, waters, swellynges under the chynne; &c.
1569 R. Androse tr. ‘Alessio’ 4th Bk. Secretes 52 (heading) Against water and windinesse in the testicles of children.
1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 239 That kind of dropsy wherein water runneth between the fell and the flesh.
1643 J. Steer tr. Fabricius Exper. Chyrurg. iii. 7 Pustles doe arise, in the which is contained cleere and white water.
1687 tr. P. Barbette Thes. Chirurgiæ (ed. 4) 51 In an Hydrocele (when the water is fallen into the Scrotum) the said Chirurgeon doth by this Instrument so dexterously discharge the Water out of the Scrotum, that the next day you shall not, or hardly be able to find where the Hole was.
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Flower de Luce The Juice..evacuates dropsical Water.
1781 S. Johnson Pope in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VII. 210 Thomson declared his [sc. Pope's] distemper to be a dropsy, and evacuated part of the water by tincture of jalap.
1801 Monthly Mag. Feb. 40/2 The immediate cause of her death was found to be an accumulation of water on the chest.
1816 Encycl. Perthensis (ed. 2) VI. 623/1 Crystallinæ, or Crystallines, in medicine, are pustules filled with water, and so called on account of their transparency. They are one of the worst symptoms attendant on a gonorrhœa.
1860 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. at Cotunnius Water of Cotunnius, a peculiar fluid found within the membrane lining the vestibule and semi-circular canals of the internal ear.
1901 Health Mag. July 152/1 He was full of water (dropsy) and discouraged.
1993 H. Padgett Erwin Nine 64 George used the needle to drain the water from the blisters, and he told Floyd to put his socks and shoes back on and lace them as tight as possible.
2013 Daily Tel. 1 Apr. 16/2 Doctors drained a build-up of fluid, known as a pleural effusion, or ‘water on the lungs’, that had developed from the lung infection.
17. Urine.
a. As the subject matter of uroscopy, as a basis for the diagnosis of illness. Cf. water doctor n. 2. Now historical.Earliest in to look (a person's) water. See also to cast water at cast v. 40.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > diagnosis or prognosis > diagnose or prognose [verb (transitive)] > diagnose > by specific method
waterc1390
to cast water1580
succuss1865
c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. ii. l. 200 Þis leornden þis leches and lettres him senden For to [wone] with [hem] watres to loke.
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 41 A leche felid his powce [MS pownce] & lukid his watir, bod he cuthe fynde no sekenes in hym.
1549 R. Crowley Voyce Laste Trumpet sig. Bviii And shew by what ryght thou maist take Two pense for the syght of water When thou knowest not therby to make The sycke man one farthyng better.
1566 J. Securis Detection sig. f.iiv Some when they haue done al that they can, & see that their pacient begin to go to wrack, then immediatly with all spede, they will run to ye phisition wt their pacientes water.
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 i. ii. 2 Iohn... What saies the doctor to my water? Page. He said sir, the water it self was a good healthy water, but for the party that owed it, he might haue moe diseases then he knew for.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State ii. ii. 53 The good Physician..trusteth not the single witnesse of the water if better testimony may be had.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 505. ¶7 I can interpret their Dreams by seeing their Water.
1784 Morning Chron. 21 Apr. 1/3 (advt.) Miss Mollitor..flatters herself that by seeing the water of the patient to tell if there be a cure or not.
1836 R. Furness Astrologer ii, in Poet. Wks. (1858) 146 Let some one..Take Thor's first morning water in a phial, And give the Urinoscopist a trial.
1925 E. Playfair tr. M. Neuberger Hist. Med. II. i. 101 (note) Medical consultation not infrequently consisted only in the ‘water’ of the patient being brought by a messenger for inspection.
2013 S. Toulalan & K. Fisher Routledge Hist. Sex & Body 100 The truly skilful uroscopist..saw everything in their ‘waters’.
b. In general use.Earliest in to make water at Phrases 2g. See also to pass water at Phrases 2h.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > excretions > urine > [noun]
migeOE
addleOE
lantc1000
urinec1325
pissa1387
stalea1400
watera1400
stalingc1420
lage1567
urine-river1633
emiction1666
sig1691
tea1693
piddle1870
number one1902
pee-wee1909
pee-pee1923
widdle1925
wee-wee1937
pee1957
wee1968
a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 278 (MED) If þe stoon be in his bladdre..he makiþ watir droppynli & a litil at oonys.
?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh.) (1950) 122 (MED) Þe vertu of þis herbe is ȝif it be dronkyn with wyn, it schall makyn water.
1569 R. Androse tr. ‘Alessio’ 4th Bk. Secretes 19 (heading) To heale one that cannot keepe his water.
1577 T. Kendall tr. Politianus et al. Flowers of Epigrammes f. 46 The drinke his bladder burdened so, That he must let his water goe.
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §998 The Wound must be at first Washed cleane, with White Wine, or the Parties owne Water.
1744 Philos. Trans. 1742–3 (Royal Soc.) 42 561 Towards the Evening there were a few Streaks of Blood mixed with, and subsiding in his Water.
1775 J. Watson Hist. Halifax 543 Moor, as a cow does, when her water is mixed with blood.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. IV. 281 The quantity of water voided by a healthy adult in 24 hours is from 40 to 50 ounces.
1989 E. L. Doctorow Billy Bathgate iv. xix. 300 His water arcs from him directly into the urinal drain, thus making the rich foaming sound of a proud man at his micturation.
2006 M. W. Molden Touching Freedom xxiii. 122 Unless he started to pass blood in his water over the next few days, there would be no need for concern.
†18. Sweat. Obsolete.In early use frequently in all on a water (see Phrases 1f(a)).
ΚΠ
?a1425 tr. Catherine of Siena Orcherd of Syon (Harl.) (1966) 3 Sche [sc. soule] swatte watir for an holy goostli brennyng hete in tyme of praier.
a1450 (c1410) H. Lovelich Merlin (1932) III. l. 19578 (MED) Þe water ran down be hors side For hit..happed ful hot to ben that day.
1608 R. Armin Nest of Ninnies 19 By and by the foot-man comes sweating, with water powred on his face and head.
1778 P. D. Leslie Philos. Inq. Cause Animal Heat vi. §ii. 290 He..stood in the part heated to 110°; in about half a minute, his shirt became so wet that he was obliged to throw it aside, and then the water poured down in streams over his whole body.
1858 W. de Tyne Day after To-morrow iv. 114 That furious old beldame Faction gives him his strong drink, drugs it as he wipes the water from his brow, hounds him to the onslaught.
19. Amniotic fluid. In later use frequently in plural.Frequently as the subject or object of the verb break, with reference to the rupture of the fetal membranes and release of amniotic fluid during delivery of a baby (or the young of an animal).
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > embryo or fetus > membranes, etc., of embryo or fetus > [noun] > amniotic fluid
water?c1450
green water1684
liquor1902
?c1450 in G. Müller Aus Mittelengl. Medizintexten (1929) 78 Whan a womman trauayleth of a qwik chiȝld, after þe water þat comith from hiȝr, ȝyf hiȝr drink ysope.
1612 tr. J. Guillemeau Child-birth ii. v. 94 And the Midwiues greatest charge must be, that she doe nothing hastily, or rashly, or by force, to inlarge the passage of the child: and much lesse, to let foorth the water, or to breake, and teare the membranes, that containe it: but she must expect till it breake of it selfe.
1688 Depos. Birth Pr. Wales 20 Whilst her Majesty was sitting trembling, her Water broke.
1725 J. Sharp Compl. Midwife's Compan. (ed. 4) iv. ii. 129 But if the birth be at Hand, you shall know when the Skins Amnios and Allantois..do break by the violent motion of the Child, so that these excrements fall down to the Neck of the Womb, Midwives call it the Water.
1742 W. Smellie Course Lect. Midwifery 5 A child coming in the natural Way, inclosed in the Uterus, and surrounded with its Membranes and Waters.
1862 Cincinnati Lancet & Observer June 361 There had been the usual discharge of blood and water at the time of the expulsion of the child, but the uterus was pretty well contracted, and the after-discharge almost absent.
1880 J. E. Burton Midwifery 27 The ‘waters’..are a whitish, muddy-looking liquid, the quantity of which greatly varies.
1958 Nursing (St. John Ambulance Assoc.) 270 Childbirth... The midwife should be called if... The contractions are distressing the mother. 3. The waters break. 4. There is bleeding on a large scale.
1991 M. Halvorson To Everything a Season 86 Tonight she was about to calve...By six o'clock, her water broke.
2005 Baby & You Feb. 41/3 When the registrar broke my waters, it was like Niagara Falls—there was 2½ litres of amniotic fluid!
20. Saliva; (in later use) esp. flow of saliva prompted by the smell, prospect, etc., of something appetizing. Cf. water v. 7.Earliest in to run of water at Phrases 2i. See also to set a person's teeth on water at Phrases 3a(e).
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > secretory organs > secretion > saliva > [noun]
salivac1400
spittle1481
water1572
mouth-water1961
1572 G. Kyttes Vnluckie Firmentie sig. B.i When he sawe a full platter His mouth woulde streyght run of water Tyll he therof had parte.
1661 R. Lovell Πανζωορυκτολογια, sive Panzoologicomineralogia 56 The water comming from the pallat mixed with honey and salt, rubbed on the head, &c. helpeth.
1688 Pleasures Matrimony ii. 55 He spy'd a Warden-Pye that made Water in his Mouth.
1798 M. G. Lewis Castle Spectre i. i. 3 I see the water is running over at your mouth.
1830 W. Cobbett Hist. Regency & George IV vi. §334 He has seen them flopping their jaws, the water running out of their mouths; and has seen them go through all the motions of devouring.
1898 W. S. Gilbert Bab Ballads (ed. 6) 542 For the thought of Peter's oysters brought the water to his mouth.
1915 L. Lewisohn tr. G. Hauptmann Schluck & Jau in Dramatic Wks. V. 108 When I think of roasts, then does the water Run in my mouth!
1996 F. McCourt Angela's Ashes (1997) x. 270 Smells of fried eggs and rashers coming through the windows enough to make the water run in your mouth.
IV. Any of various other liquids containing or resembling water.
21. Water which has been used to cook vegetables, rice, etc. Frequently with preceding word, as potato water, vegetable water, etc.See also rice water n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > [noun] > water for cooking
waterOE
pot-waterc1680
OE Leechbk. Fragm. (Harl.) (1865) ii. lix. 286 Wið þære healfdeadan [adle]. Nim þæt wæter þe pyosan ræran [read wæran] on gesodene, ofer willeda, syle drincan.
1609 W. B. tr. Philosophers Banquet i. xxviii. f. 30 (margin) Rice water augmenteth beauty, & cleareth the skin.
1766 Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser 2 Oct. A rusty [bacon] bone to relish a little cabbage-water.
1813 Monthly Mag. June 411/1 Mash up the bran with the carrot-water.
1821 Leeds Mercury 2 June A correspondent informs us that potato-water, thrown upon gooseberry and other fruit-trees, will effectually destroy the caterpillars.
1908 F. A. George Vegetarian Cookery 94 Add 1 gill of the water from the beans to the rest of the sauce.
1960 Good Housek. Cookery Bk. (rev. ed.) 196/1 Vegetable water or stock made from bones should be used for gravies and brown sauces.
1990 Country Homes Oct. 122/1 One or 2 tbsp pasta water are usually added to the pesto before it is stirred into the pasta.
2008 B. Ojakangas Best Casserole Cookbk. Ever xii. 432 I like to save the water from cooking potatoes to make Finnish rye bread.
22.
a. With distinguishing preceding word, or phrase with of, specifying a principal ingredient, medical use, place of origin, etc.: any of numerous preparations made, esp. by distillation, from water or alcohol and one or more substances of plant, mineral, or animal origin, for use as a medicine, alchemical or chemical reagent, perfume, cosmetic, etc.Many of the more common of these are treated as headwords or at the first element, as Cologne water, gripe-water, rose water, etc. See also water of magnanimity n. at magnanimity n. 5, water of milk n. at milk n.1 and adj. Phrases 3.
ΚΠ
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. vi. xxi. 327 Brimstoun watir [L. aqua..sulphurea] hath doynge [MS noyenge] to colde iueles.
c1425 tr. J. Arderne Treat. Fistula (Sloane 6) (1910) 82 Þis is called watre of alum... And þis watre mundifieþ in coldand, bot watre of sulphur mundifieþ in hetyng or chaufand.
c1450 (?c1408) J. Lydgate Reson & Sensuallyte (1901) l. 5737 Of tast also and of flauour [MS fauour], It was swetter than watir rose A man in helthe to dyspose.
a1500 Sir Degrevant (Cambr.) (1949) l. 1407 With..Watyr of euerrose clere, Þey wesche ryȝth þare.
1502 in N. H. Nicolas Privy Purse Expenses Elizabeth of York (1830) 8 A present of watier of rooses.
1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth x. sig. D.i But better it is to drinke with wyne stylled waters, specyally ye water of strawberes or the water of buglos or the water of endyue.
1664 D. Turberville Let. 17 Nov. in R. Boyle Corr. (2001) II. 405 I never used Hartmans water, but the next summer I intend to experiment it.
1671 H. Stubbe Ld. Bacon's Relation Sweating-sickness Examined 158 Another Powder given in the water of Corn-poppies, with which he cured many Pleuritics.
1710 T. Fuller Pharmacopœia Extemporanea 433 Water of Millepedes..is useful..in scorbutic Joint-pains.
1772 tr. P.-J. Buc'hoz Toilet of Flora 65 (heading) Venice Water, highly esteemed.
1844 R. D. Hoblyn Dict. Terms Med. & Collateral Sci. (ed. 2) Mastic Water, a remedy employed by the Albanian physicians in infantile diarrhœa; it is simply water which has been boiled along with mastic.
1868 H. Dussauce Pract. Guide for Perfumer ix. 142 Prepare in the same manner the water of Hyssop, Mint, Marjoram, Melissa, etc.
1973 C. A. Wilson Food & Drink in Brit. x. 398 Clove, cinnamon, caraway, nutmeg, marjoram and spearmint waters all had their own special powers.
2006 SageWoman Spring 63/3 Kananga water is infused with Ylang Ylang, and as such it is used in bereavement.
b. Without distinguishing word or phrase: any preparation of this type.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines of specific form > decoction or infusion > [noun] > aqueous decoction or infusion
haliwey?c1225
waterc1405
c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Tale (Ellesmere) (1875) l. 1459 What is Magnasia..? It is a water that is maad I seye Of elementes foure.
a1450 (a1400) Feast of Corpus Christi (Bodl.) in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1889) 82 311 Lechis al-so of flourus wateris makiþ I-lome, & oþer þingus þat þer-to by-come.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxiiv There be dyuers waters & other medicynes wolde mende hym [sc. a blind sheep].
1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 213 And perauenture there is no difference, for the destillacion of any kind of waters, in Balneo Mariæ or in Asshes, if so be it thou obserue the measure of ye fyer.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique iii. lxxi. 600 A water vsed amongst the Ladies of the Court, to keepe a faire white and fresh in their faces. Take a white pigeon, a pinte of goats milke [etc.].
1617 J. Taylor Three Weekes Obseruations D 3 b Viols, Gallipots, Glasses, Boxes..wherein..were Waters, Oyles, Vnguents, [etc.].
1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 57 Can cure all Diseases, from Aries, head and face, to Pisces, the Feet, with a Water and a Powder.
1757 A. Cooper Compl. Distiller i. xi. 57 The glass Alembic is more easily managed... Its principal Use is for distilling Waters from Flowers, and making Quintessences.
1871 A. B. Garrod Essentials Materia Medica (new ed.) 4 The waters of pharmacy consist of water holding in solution very small quantities of oils or other volatile principles.
1909 Southern Pharmaceut. Jrnl. Aug. 657/1 In the making of these waters the distillate is returned and this method is known as cohabation.
2011 J. Shaw & E. S. Welch Making & Marketing Med. in Renaissance Florence viii. 256 Standard drugs..were mixed with other compound drugs, simples, waters, decoctions, and sugar, to create complex products that potentially combined hundreds of ingredients.
23. The sap of a plant or juice of a fruit, esp. when clear and not viscous.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > plant substances > [noun] > fluid, juice, or sap
oozeeOE
sapOE
milkOE
slime?c1225
juicec1290
humoura1398
opiuma1398
watera1425
sop1513
afion1542
suc1551
suck1560
ab1587
lymph1682
blood1690
fluid1705
humidities1725
succus1771
plant milk1896
a1425 Cooking & Med. Recipes (Wellcome 225) 43 (MED) Tak grene roddys of hesyll & put þe tane end in þe fyre, & gader þe water þat commys out at þe toþer ende.
a1475 tr. Gilbertus Anglicus Pharmaceutical Writings (Wellcome) (1991) 55 (MED) Clense þe yȝe wiþ mundificatiues, as with þe iuse of endiue, or with watir of a vyne.
1585 J. Higgins tr. Junius Nomenclator 142/2 Lachryma,..the water, moysture, or dropping of a tree that turneth to gumme.
1589 Summarie Drakes W. Indian Voy. 14 And within this white of the [cochos] nut lyeth a water, which is whitish and very cleere, to the quantitie of halfe a pint or thereabouts.
1666 J. Davies tr. C. de Rochefort Hist. Caribby-Islands 66 There grows in these Countries another kind of Melons..call'd Water-Melons, because they are full of a sugar'd water, intermingled with their meat.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World x. 292 While the Nut [sc. coco-nut] is growing, all the inside is full of this Water, without any Kernel.
1713 H. Sloane in W. Derham Physico-theol. x. i. 462 A limpid..Water, or Sap, as gives new Life to the droughty Traveller or Hunter.
1727 B. Langley New Princ. Gardening iii. xii. 138 Cut an oblique Hole, or rather a Slit, under the Branch of a well-spreading Birch-Tree... To this Hole, or Slit, fix a Bottle to receive that clear Water or Sap as will extill it self out of the Aperture into the Bottle.
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. at Tetracera T. potatoria is called the Water-tree at Sierra Leone, on account of its climbing stems yielding a good supply of clear water when cut across.
1961 P. Marshall Soul clap Hands & Sing (1962) 10 They would pour rum into the water within the hollow centers, then tilt the coconuts to their heads.
2001 M. Khor & L. L. Lin Good Pract. & Innovative Experiences in South II. 111 If water or sap drips, the people consider it a water bearer and do as their forefathers did—they protect the tree or shrub.
24. Chiefly with distinguishing word: a strong mineral acid, esp. nitric acid, or a mixture of such acids. Cf. aqua fortis n. 1. Now historical and rare.Recorded earliest in strong water n. 1.regal water, stygian water: see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > acids > [noun] > acids-named > containing nitrogen > nitric acid
strong water?a1425
water?c1425
aqua fortis1601
spirit of nitre1626
parting water1662
spirits of saltpetre1685
nitric acid1790
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > acids > [noun] > acids general > any strong acid
water1701
?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Paris) (1971) 410 A litel cotoun dipped in þe strong water [L. in aqua forti] of alkymystes.
?a1500 ( G. Ripley Compend of Alchemy (Wales 734F) in E. P. Hammond Eng. Verse between Chaucer & Surrey (1927) 256 Water corosyves and water ardente In whych I wrowght in diuers wysse.
1653 R. Gentilis tr. F. Bacon Nat. & Exper. Hist. Winds 245 Thin leaves of gold dissolved into liquor with the Royall water, yeeld no palpable heat in their dissolving.
1662 C. Merrett tr. A. Neri Art of Glass xxxviii. 62 (heading) How to make Aqua-fortis call'd parting water, which dissolves silver and quick-silver.
1701 J. Ray Wisdom of God (ed. 3) i. 31 Aqua fortis or the like corrosive Waters.
1736 T. Atkinson Conf. Painter & Engraver 23 But the general Way [of Etching] is, to work the Offskip tenderly, letting the Water bite but a little.
1836 S. F. Gray Suppl. Pharmacopœia (ed. 6) 312 Stygian water, Aqua Stygis. Corrodes glass and earthenware, contains fluoric acid.
1910 Druggists' Circular 54 385/1 We should hazard the opinion that stagvatter is shed-water, strong water, aqua fortis, or crude nitric acid.
1923 Amer. Jrnl. Pharmacy 95 227 Instead of terming hydrogen sulphide water ‘stygian water’ that term is applied to nitro-hydrochloric acid.
2005 B. T. Moran Distilling Knowl. i. 15 The highly corrosive ‘strong water’ (aqua fortis or nitric acid).
25. Liquid obtained from inside the shells of oysters or other shellfish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > shell-fish or mollusc > oyster > liquor
watera1450
liquor1747
a1450 in T. Austin Two 15th-cent. Cookery-bks. (1888) 13 Take grete Oystrys..an take þe water of þe Oystrys, & ale, an brede y-straynid.
1607 T. Dekker & J. Webster West-ward Hoe i. i. sig. A4 Loue a woman for her teares? Let a man loue Oisters for their water.
1659 J. Beale Let. 10 Jan. in Hartlib Papers (Electronic ed.) (2002) 55/23/2B This censure of Pliny, extendeth not to..those Mussles, which are brought from Romers wall between Flushing & Bergen up Zom: especially if boiled in their own water, or a like Saltish water & strong Ale, or a little Vinegar.
1678 J. Phillips tr. J.-B. Tavernier Indian Trav. ii. xvii. 146 in tr. J.-B. Tavernier Six Voy. They stay fourteen or fifteen days till the Oysters lose their water.
1790 W. Smellie Philos. Nat. Hist. I. iv. 140 When removed from situations which are constantly covered with the sea, devoid of experience, they open their shells, lose their water, and die in a few days.
1832 L. M. Child Amer. Frugal Housewife (ed. 10) 58 Clams should boil about fifteen minutes in their own water; no other need be added, except a spoonful to keep the bottom shells from burning.
1861 New Monthly Mag. Oct. 231 The Americans..have the oysters opened, and poured with their water into a saucepan, where they are converted into what is called oyster-soup.
1978 Arizona Republic 11 Jan. k2 Lunch was tender scallops in the shell, mussels sauced in their own water [etc.].
2006 J. G. Salvadore & L. Parolari Tales of Risotto 87 Shuck the oysters and place them with their water in a medium saucepan.
26. With distinguishing word or phrase: strong distilled alcoholic liquor; a type of this. Now archaic and historical except in firewater n. 2, water of life n. 2.Recorded earliest in burning water at burning adj. 5b.hot water, strong water: see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > [noun]
drink1042
liquor1340
bousea1350
cidera1382
dwale1393
sicera1400
barrelc1400
strong drinkc1405
watera1475
swig1548
tipple1581
amber1598
tickle-brain1598
malt pie1599
swill1602
spicket1615
lap1618
John Barleycornc1625
pottle1632
upsy Englisha1640
upsy Friese1648
tipplage1653
heartsease1668
fuddle1680
rosin1691
tea1693
suck1699
guzzlea1704
alcohol1742
the right stuff1748
intoxicant1757
lush1790
tear-brain1796
demon1799
rum1799
poison1805
fogram1808
swizzle1813
gatter1818
wine(s) and spirit(s)1819
mother's milkc1821
skink1823
alcoholics1832
jough1834
alky1844
waipiro1845
medicine1847
stimulant1848
booze1859
tiddly1859
neck oil1860
lotion1864
shrab1867
nose paint1880
fixing1882
wet1894
rabbit1895
shicker1900
jollop1920
mule1920
giggle-water1929
rookus juice1929
River Ouse1931
juice1932
lunatic soup1933
wallop1933
skimish1936
sauce1940
turps1945
grog1946
joy juice1960
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > distilled drink > [noun]
water of life?c1450
burning watera1475
watera1475
aqua vitae1542
spirit1559
strong water1615
hot waters1616
spirituous liquor1659
spirit1663
fire1707
tape1725
strunt1786
hard stuff1789
firewater1799
fool's water1815
fool water1837
spirituous liquor1842
timber-doodle1842
lightning1858
a1475 Bk. Quinte Essence (1889) 6 Haue biside ȝou a uessel..fillid ful of the beste brennynge watir þat ȝe may fynde.
a1550 ( G. Ripley Compend of Alchemy (Edinb. Laing) l. 949 (MED) What salte, whatt powderys, what oyles, & waters forte.
1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia v. 174 Some hauing some good and comfortable waters, fetched them and dranke one to another.
1783 European Mag. & London Rev. Mar. 185/2 Gallons of rum, brandy and other distilled waters.
1842 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 38 i. 28 Instigated to turn traitor by the hope of procuring some of the ardent waters of Europe, to which he had taken a mighty fancy.
1864 A. Dumas Spectre-Mother 282 He took from a travelling-bag a flask of spirituous water, and drank two or three glasses of it.
1955 Los Angeles Times 29 Dec. a5 A hangover is the direct result of an evening misspent, testing the octane content of various spirituous waters.
V. In various specific and technical uses.
27. Astronomy and Astrology. In full Water of Aquarius. The part of the constellation Aquarius traditionally interpreted as a stream of water falling from the jar of the Water Carrier towards the Southern Fish (Piscis Austrinus). Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > constellation > zodiacal constellation > [noun] > Aquarius > part of
water shedder1546
water1556
water-pot1560
1556 R. Record Castle of Knowl. 267 Besyde these 22 starres, there are other 19, whiche in their dyuers and croked position doo make a forme of a Ryuer, and are called the Water whiche Aquarye sheddeth.
1673 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 8 5178 Saturn pass'd close by Four small Fix't Stars, visible only by a Telescope, within the sinus of the Water of Aquarius.
1754 J. Hill Urania at Testudo The constellations between which the Tortoise is placed, are the Whale, the Fishes, and the water of Aquarius.
1837 Naut. Mag. & Naval Chron. Aug. 515 A line through Aldebaran and α of the Whale, will lead to β in the tail of the Whale, also of the second magnitude, which is..close to the water of Aquarius.
1872 A. D. Thomson Mankind xxiv. 667 This is the Southern Fish, which is at the end of the water of Aquarius in our spheres.
2004 T. J. Germinario Apokalypso vi. 240 We had the long series of Saturn's transits through the ‘Water’ of Aquarius, from April 1994 to January 1996.
28. The transparency and lustre characteristic of a diamond or other gemstone, or a pearl. Often with preceding adjective characterizing the appearance of a particular stone or pearl, or (especially) indicating its quality as assessed in terms of its transparency and lustre.The three highest grades of quality in diamonds were formerly known as the first water, second water, and third water. See also of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water at Phrases 1e.In quot. a1400 in the more general sense ‘the type of something translucent or reflective’, in the context of reference to a gemstone.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > gem or precious stone > [noun] > quality of precious stone
virtuea1300
water1598
eye1699
a1400 in G. R. Keiser Middle Eng. ‘Bk. Stones’ (1984) 11 Þe gentil rubye fyn and clene is lord of stones and is also water of wateres.]
1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies i. xc. 138/2 When you will valew any stones, you must looke well vpon them, and consider if it be a Diamond, of what water and fashion it is.
1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles xii. 99 Diamonds of a most praysed water . View more context for this quotation
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Eau Perle de belle eau, of a faire luster, or water.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Timon of Athens (1623) i. i. 18 Iew. I haue a Iewell heere... Mer. 'Tis a good forme. Iewel. And rich: heere is a Water looke ye. View more context for this quotation
1622 G. de Malynes Consuetudo i. vii. 75 The best waters are whitish, inclining to the blew, which maketh the best illustration and play, as some call it.
1667 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 2 429 If it [sc. a diamond] have no good water, or have a Bleb or Flaw, the Carat will not be worth but from 10 to 30 Crowns.
1675 R. Vaughan Disc. Coin & Coinage (Tables) 241 Value of Peals [sic]. East-India Yellow water. 1 Carrat 00 07 s. 6 d.
1678 London Gaz. No. 1330/4 A Table stone, cut in India, perfect square, of the Second water, weighing 5 grains full.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 213 The Diamond that is Sandy, or hath any Foulness in it, or is of a Blue, Brown, or Yellow Water, is not worth half the Price of a perfect Stone of a White Water.
1727 A. Hamilton New Acct. E. Indies II. xlv. 148 They have small Diamonds, but their Waters being inclined to be yellow, are not so much in Esteem as those of Golcondah.
1733 H. Fielding Miser (London ed.) v. iii. 70 I defy any Jeweller in Town to shew you their Equals; they are, I think, the finest Water I ever saw.
1832 G. R. Porter Treat. Manuf. Porcelain & Glass 220 Some artists have even given to this [sc. paste in imitation of a diamond] a very considerable play of light, or, as it is technically termed, water.
1865 A. B. Edwards Miss Carew II. 33 You wear a set of studs—diamonds set in coloured gold—very graceful design—stones of an excellent water.
1906 P. Landon Under Sun 53 Tavernier..says that one can judge the water of a diamond best in the dappled shade of a leafy tree.
1928 Lebanon (Pa.) Daily News 5 June 4/4 The diamond..is said to be of the ‘first water’ when colorless and limpid as water, and of the ‘second’ and ‘third water’ as the transparency decreases.
1963 J. Fowles Collector (1972) i. 86 It's only small stones, she said, but all very fine water.
1999 R. Majzels tr. F. Daigle Just Fine 83 Other factors come into play in evaluating the excellence of a diamond: its limpidity (more poetically called its water), its colour, and, of course, its weight.
29. Building. A measure of the extent to which shingles overlap one another, expressed as the number of overlapping shingles to be laid within the length of one shingle. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > roof > [noun] > other parts of roof
water1703
flanching1833
slate-boarding1833
slate-board1842
break-back1856
parapet line1886
sunroof1889
overcloak1896
roof jack1913
1703 R. Neve City & Countrey Purchaser 242 They commonly make 3 Waters, (as they phrase it,) that is, they commonly hang 3 shingles in heighth, in the length of one; so that if the Shingles are 12 Inches long, they are laid at 4 Inches Gage.
1903 Building News 4 Sept. 300/2 To this boarding the shingles are secured by nails, the shingles being arranged so that the gauge shall allow of ‘three waters’, or in plain English, one shingle must overlap that immediately under it for two-thirds its depth, and the second one under it for one-third its depth.
†30. A finish or pattern resembling rippled waves, as imparted to certain fabrics. Cf. Compounds 2m, watered adj.1 5. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > variegation > iridescence > [noun] > moire
swimming1611
water1721
moiré1818
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > patterned > waved or watered > pattern
swimming1611
watering1647
water1721
watermark1893
water waving1894
1721 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Water (among Dyers), a certain Lustre imitating Waves, set on Silks, Mohairs, &c.
31. Watercolour paint; = watercolour n. 2. Later also: a watercolour picture; = watercolour n. 4 (chiefly in plural).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to medium or technique > [noun] > watercolour painting
watercolour1598
watercolour painting1689
water1730
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to medium or technique > [noun] > watercolour painting > picture
watercolour painting1689
watercolour1698
water1730
watercolour drawing1780
watercolouring1788
1730 E. Wright Some Observ. France, Italy, &c. II. 435 Father Giovanni Girolamo paints in Oil, and Water.
1787 Exhib. Royal Acad. 17 Portraits of the Princess Royal, and Princess Augusta, in water.
1877 C. H. Savory Paper Hanger 142 The best work for picture and looking-glass frames is done in water.
1909 Daily Chron. 4 June 5/5 I want you to paint as many pictures as you can, oils or waters, just as you like.
1947 Washington Post 19 Oct. l3/2 The show consists of oils and waters and pastels.
1999 R. J. Begiebing Adventures Allegra Fullerton vi. 50 Miss Fricke..taught us to paint from her own work and from nature, in waters and oils.
32. Finance colloquial (originally U.S.). Fictitious capital created by ‘watering’ the stock of a trading company (see water v. 9d).
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > financial dealings > types of money-dealing > [noun] > provision of capital > capital or principal > types of
stock1598
artificial capital1772
circulating capital1776
natural capital1785
money capital1791
working capital1798
reserve1819
authorized capital1825
current asset1826
loan capital1848
capital asset1851
water1867
capital equipment1893
refugee capital1926
risk capital1927
hot money1936
venture capital1943
risk money1944
exposure1975
1867 Rep. before Joint. Comm. City Council of Boston upon Subj. of Gas 253 Q...It was stated here the other night that the Manhattan stock had been watered? A. Every dollar has been paid in cash; there is not a single drop of water in it.
1894 Daily News 12 July 5/5 The stock of the Company has been watered three times over, and the Company has not only been able to pay the regular dividends on the water and all, but [etc.].
1901 Chambers's Jrnl. Jan. 28/1 The Federal Steel Company..earned about 12 per cent. on its £9,000,000-odd common stock, which is known to be ‘water’ or goodwill.
1989 W. Adams & J. W. Brock Dangerous Pursuits viii. 92 Subsequent analysis revealed that at least half the stock issued was ‘water’, unbacked by any tangible, physical property.

Phrases

P1. Preceded by a preposition. See also underwater adv. and adj.
a. above water.
(a) Above the surface of the water.With quot. eOE cf. bove prep.
ΚΠ
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) v. xiii. 129 Hie [sc. Mark Antony's ships] wæron swa geworht þæt hie mon ne mehte mid monnum oferhlæstan, þæt hie næren x fota hea bufan wætere.]
1513 E. Howard Let. 5 Apr. in A. Spont Lett. & Papers War France (1897) 105 The Kateryn Fortileza hath so many leakis..that we have had moche to do to kepe her above water.
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 12v Delius..was called a cunnyng swymmer that could kepe hym selfe styll above water without perill of drounyng.
1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 35 To save all but our Carpenter, who was lost for want of having fasten'd on somewhat that might have kept him above water.
1678 London Gaz. No. 1344/1 He and his Company, upon their crossing the Severne, saw a Mair-man appear a pretty while above water.
a1731 G. Waldron Descr. Isle of Man 167 in Compl. Wks. (1731) A Woman..was saved by the Stiffness of her Hoop Petticoat, which kept her above Water.
1792 P. Hoare No Song No Supper i. i. 6 I'll just give a look out and see if any part of our little wreck remains above water.
1839 F. Marryat Phantom Ship III. xli. 248 The whole of her floatage was above water.
1866 Rural Amer. (Utica, N.Y.) 15 Mar. 81/1 Fill a bucket or other convenient vessel with lukewarm water, and immerse the lamb, holding it by the head; care being taken to keep the nose above water.
1943 Life 26 July 33/1 I pushed toward shore bending my knees as the water grew shallower, keeping only my helmet-covered head above water.
1988 National Geographic Nov. 690 A bird..swam upstream with only its beak above water.
2010 P. D. Ward Flooded Earth vii. 177 The vast reef, none of it above water, now stretched out before them.
(b) figurative, esp. with reference to struggles to keep out of (esp. financial) difficulty.to keep one's head above water: see head n.1 Phrases 3t.
ΚΠ
1604 T. Bilson Suruey Christs Sufferings 300 You duck and diue, you care not where nor whether, so you may haue a generall Phrase to beare you aboue water, when you are out of breath.
1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace ix. 190 Of great use to keep up the soul above water.
1705 J. Collier Ess. Moral Subj.: Pt. III i. 11 Unless a Man can reconcile himself to Suffering, and keep his Spirits above Water, 'tis in vain to pretend to Principles.
1798 J. O'Keeffe Positive Man i. i, in Dramatic Wks. IV. 432 Death took charge, and left me to swim thro' life, and keep my chin above water as long as I cou'd.
1885 Field 3 Oct. 502/2 A number of struggling men [sc. agriculturists], who have managed to keep above water during the bad seasons, must now go under.
1934 Sat. Rev. 20 Oct. 268/2 These bodies who..strive so hard and under such handicaps to keep their various undertakings above water.
1971 New York 11 Jan. 36/2 Some of them are being forced to plow their fortunes back into their firms just to keep above water.
2004 Spin Dec. 74/1 He really did bring a lot to the table, and I was trying to keep above water with how talented that guy is.
†b. between (also betwixt) two waters: (a) confronted by a choice between two parties or points of view (and hence either reluctant to choose or inclined to adopt a neutral position); (b) between the surface and the bottom (of a body of water). Obsolete.Recorded earliest in to swim between two waters at swim v. 1b. [After Middle French entre deux eaus (14th cent.; especially in nager entre deux eaus to swim between two waters at swim v. 1b).]
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > absence of prejudice > neither one nor the other [phrase]
between two waters1553
betwixt and between1832
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [phrase] > between the surface and bottom
between two waters1660
1553 R. Horne tr. J. Calvin Certaine Homilies i. sig. Cvij They yt swim (as ye common saing is) betwixt twoo waters [Fr. ceulx qui nagent entre deux eaues] alleage [etc.].
1558 W. Ward tr. G. Ruscelli Secretes Alexis of Piemount ii. f. 52v Make it [sc. the mixture] so stronge that it may beare a newe laide egge swimminge betwene two waters [Fr. nageant entre deux eaus].
1570 T. North tr. A. F. Doni Morall Philos. iii. f. 79v Bicause it was but suspition and no proofe..he stode betweene two waters, as he that was verie loth to beleeue it.
1603 D. Carleton in R. F. Williams Birch's Court & Times James I (1848) (modernized text) I. 28 The king held himself upright betwixt two waters.
1660 F. Brooke tr. V. Le Blanc World Surveyed 3 Sliding the Anchor on one side betwixt two waters [Fr. entre deux eaux].
1794 R. Nowland tr. P. de Beauvais-Raseau Treat. Indigo vi. 41 The excess of putrefaction is always distinguished by a wide and flat grain, which remains floating between two waters and does not sink well to the bottom.
1847 E. Cresy Encycl. Civil Engin. I. xvii. 1153 If the specific gravity be equal to that of water, it will..rest between two waters.
c. by water: by ship, boat, or other watercraft as a means of travel or transport. Cf. by sea at sea n. 12b.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > [phrase]
by waterOE
by sea1487
by (be) seaboard1535
OE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Tiber. B.iv) anno 1016 Þa gewende se here sona to Lundenne, & þa buruh utan ymbesæton, & hyre stearclice on feaht ægðær ge be wætere ge be lande.
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 79 (MED) Here emcristen..fareð ðar mide be londe and be watere.
c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) l. 1130 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 138 Al bi watere he wende, to þe Ermitage of Sempling-ham.
c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 402 If þt he faught and hadde the hyer hond By watre he sente hem hoom to euery lond.
?1478 W. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 649 And if it lyke yow that I may come wyth Alwedyr be watyr.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. ccv This Mayer..was rowed thyther by water.
1548 in A. Feuillerat Documents Office of Revels Edward VI (1914) 29 The Caring by water to and from grenwy[ch].
1606 T. W. Araignem. & Execution late Traytors sig. B3 They went from the Tower by water & come to Westminster.
1661 Prince Rupert in Hist. MSS Comm.: 11th Rep.: App. Pt. V (1887) 8 in Parl. Papers (C. 5060–IV) XLVIII. 1 My goods goe by Ratisbon, soe by land to Wurtzbourg, and from thence by water the rest of the journey.
1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 348 A little Town..from whence I had but six Days by Water to Arch-Angel.
1771 T. Smollett Humphry Clinker II. 144 In going down the river by water, he was by mistake put on board of another vessel under sail.
1809 W. Irving Hist. N.Y. II. vii. viii. 235 The hostile ships made awful preparation to commence a vehement assault by water.
1864 T. S. Williams & P. L. Simmonds Eng. Commerc. Corr. 116 You will please to receive the said goods, and forward them to us by water.
1886 C. Scholl Phraseol. Dict. II. 834 Conveyance is, in this case, cheaper by water than by rail.
1900 S. J. Weyman Story Francis Cludde (new ed.) xviii. 210 A prisoner..was taken to the Tower by water this afternoon.
1937 Life 13 Sept. 89/2 (caption) A rubber factory is run by Firestone 40 miles inland... Rubber is shipped by water to the coast.
1998 A. Dalby Dict. Langs. 262/1 Ijo speakers live in the Niger Delta, where travel is often easiest by water.
d. like water: (with reference to profligate or reckless expenditure) freely, without restraint. Esp. in to spend money like water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or process of flowing > flow profusely [phrase]
like water1650
1650 Bp. J. Taylor Rule & Exercises Holy Living iv. §8 331 An expensive vice makes holes in the bottom of the bag, and the wealth runs out like water.
1736 Bayle's Gen. Dict. Hist. & Crit. (new ed.) IV. 72/1 Some Divines..said, that he dispersed his money like water, and that he thought it below him ever to bargain in shops or inns.
1840 F. W. Thomas Howard Pinckney II. i. 7 I had such a run from fellows that spent money like water.
1873 M. E. Braddon Strangers & Pilgrims II. iv. 100 ‘She's like Lady Teazle, by Jove,’ grumbled the Viscount..‘spends a fellow's money like water.’
1920 B. W. Sinclair Poor Man's Rock 286 She lived for herself..spending my money like water to make a showing, giving me nothing in return.
1991 M. Tully No Full Stops in India (1992) x. 321 Digvijay's supporters allege that George spent money like water to bribe the local leaders.
2006 Daily Tel. 18 July 15/1 Twenty-something girls are..spending money like water, reasoning that high house prices make the idea of saving for a home futile, says a survey.
e. of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water.
(a) Of a diamond or other precious stone: of the highest quality as regards transparency and lustre (see sense 28). [Compare Middle French de bonne eaue (late 14th cent.), French de la permière eau (1679 or earlier).]
ΚΠ
1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies i. lxxxvi. 133/1 The best Rubies that are of the best colour, and water [die de beste coluer en wateren hebben] are in India called Tockes, which are like Carbunckles.
1686 tr. J. Chardin Trav. Persia 406 How can a lump of Earth pretend to compare with a Diamond of the clearest water [Fr. de la premiere eau]?
1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 10 Mar. (1965) I. 381 A vest..of purple Cloth strait to her shape and thick set, on each side..with pearls of the best water.
1798 Monthly Rev. 26 App. 533 Look at this diamond..it is handsome, it is of the purest water.
1814 B. Heyne Tracts on India iii. 107 For a carat containing five or six diamonds of the finest water, they ask seven rupees.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. I. 13 He..wore a brilliant of the first water on the fourth finger of his left hand.
1911 F. Crewe-Jones tr. A. Boissière Man without Face i. ix. 96 He..gazed for a moment at his ring, an enormous diamond of the finest water.
1959 Country Life 15 Jan. 112/2 The stones form a suite of necklace and bracelet, all of the purest water and of exceptional fire and brilliance.
2004 J. Emsley Vanity, Vitality, & Virility (2006) iii. 105 It was a near flawless crystal or, in the language of the diamond trade, a diamond of the first water.
(b) figurative. Of the highest excellence or purity; unsurpassed of its (or his or her) class; (in later use often with reference to something bad) out-and-out, unmitigated, thoroughgoing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > greatly or very much [phrase] > utter
to the hard ——c1400
as or so very a1560
a fool (also man, etc.) in print1600
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1824
dyed in the wool1830
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1747 T. Smollett Reproof 8 A wit of the first water, celebrated for her talent of repartee and double entendre.
1824 T. F. Dibdin Libr. Compan. 587 Ascham is a thorough-bred philologist, and of the purest water.
1825 T. Hook Sayings & Doings 2nd Ser. I. 168 He was certain her family were by no means of ‘the first water’.
1826 W. Scott Jrnl. 6 Dec. (1939) 287 He was a..swindler of the first water.
1854 H. Miller Schools & Schoolmasters (1858) xvi. 360 Cousin William..had a heart of the finest water.
a1856 W. Hamilton Lect. Metaphysics (1859) II. xxix. 201 Gassendi himself, who is justly represented by Mr. Stewart as a Sensationalist of the purest water.
1869 Eng. Mech. 17 Dec. 329/3 All this may seem like paradoxism of the first water.
1883 T. Watts in 19th Cent. Mar. 422 His wit, though not abundant and not of ‘the rarest water’ was quite unique.
1905 W. B. Boulton Life Gainsborough 194 He..assumed the airs of a beau and ladykiller of the first water.
1954 P. G. Wodehouse Jeeves & Feudal Spirit (1962) i. 7 They were creeps of the first water.
2006 Private Eye 7 July 8/2 Bumbling, amiable Carruthers, a cliché spouter of the first water.
f.
†(a) all on a water: covered with sweat. Cf. sense 18. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > excretions > perspirations > [adjective] > covered or damp with sweat
swotyc893
besweatc1275
forswatc1325
wetc1400
all on a watera1438
foaming1590
sweaty1590
sweated1654
deliquescent1815
perspiry1860
sticky1884
a1438 Bk. Margery Kempe (1940) i. 185 Sche cryed ful lowde..& sumtyme sche was al on a watyr wyth þe labowr of þe crying.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 562/1 He hath gestylled my horse in the stabyll tyll he hath made hym all on a water [Fr. tant quil la mys tout en eaue].
1593 J. Eliot Ortho-epia Gallica ii. xi. 63/3 I am very hungrie, and all on a water.
1674 C. Cotton tr. B. de Montluc Commentaries vi. 278 I..awaked, and found my self all on a water, as if I had come out of a River, my Shirt, the Sheets, the Counterpain all wringing wet.
(b) on the water: (esp. of a commercial commodity) in the process of being transported by water.
ΚΠ
1803 Star 21 May It appears that the whole produce of the colony of Surinam is now on the water, in ships which sailed about the time this vessel left it.
1825 Aurora & Franklin (Philadelphia) Gaz. 13 May For several parcels of flat corn, which are now on the water, 30 cents per bushel has been offered and declined.
1846 Economist 20 June 808/1 The market for rice has been very much affected by a report that 7,000 bags are now on the water for this island.
1913 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Arts 61 593/2 The longer the bulk of the supply can be kept on the water between Australia and England the better the importer is pleased.
1972 Guardian 28 July 20/3 The dock strike could hardly have arrived at a better time for the Bradford trade, which has very little wool on the water.
2012 Dominion Post (Wellington, N.Z.) (Nexis) 29 Nov. 11 The companies stopped shipments [of meat], but six weeks' worth were still on the water.
g. over (also across) the water: used with reference to James II after his departure from England in 1688, and to those regarded by Jacobites as his successors to the crown (esp. as king over the water). Now chiefly historical. Also in extended use.The Jacobite toast to ‘the king over the water’ was sometimes expressed by implication, by passing the glass of wine over a water decanter, finger bowl, or the like when drinking the health of ‘the king’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > [phrase] > on the other side of the sea
over (also across) the water1748
water1749
1748 ‘G. Rusticus’ Ways & Means 10 What glorious Bumpers might they charge to the King—over the Water?
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones III. vii. iv. 26 From these Meals she retired about five Minutes after the other Servants, having only stayed to drink the King over the Water . View more context for this quotation
1824 W. Scott Redgauntlet I. v. 100 Our guest made a motion with his glass, so as to pass it over the water-decanter..and added, ‘Over the water’.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xxi. 649 The less warlike members of the [Jacobite] party [in 1696] could at least take off bumpers to the King over the water.
1876 Illustr. London News 7 Oct. 335/1 A numerous and influential gathering of Legitimist senators and deputies from all parts of Brittany, who drank ‘The King across the Water’ in true Jacobite fashion.
1937 Eng. Rev. Jan. 69 I give to the new occupant of the Throne a particular and peculiar sympathy. For the King over the water I had a strong affection.
1952 Winnipeg Free Press 3 May 21/8 The writer recalls visiting out-of-the-way pubs in London in the 1930's where a trough of water ran along the bar so that the patrons could drink to the King over the water.
1990 J. Eberts & T. Ilott My Indecision is Final xxxii. 329 As long as Attenborough could discern, or sustain, Eberts's warmth for Goldcrest, then so long would Eberts remain the King Across the Water.
2007 J. Miller Cities Divided xi. 251 The ultimate certainty, after 1700, of the extinction of the Protestant Stuart dynasty, and with it the old form of monarchy, added to the attraction of the ‘king over the water’.
†h. †within water: = underwater adv. 1. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > condition of being submerged or action of submerging > submerged under water [phrase]
within water1529
1529 in C. Innes Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis (1845) I. 396 To sustene..mend and uphald..þe brig forsaid..als weill within wattar as abuf.
1616 G. Markham tr. C. Estienne et al. Maison Rustique (rev. ed.) iv. xv. 660 The Aller will haue his rootes all within water, but the Willow would stand higher, and spread his roots along into the ground.
1666 Duchess of Newcastle Descr. New World 36 Those Animals that live by the respiration of air, cannot live within Water.
1714 Whole Art of Fishing iii. 26 When you fish for him within Water, let not your Bait by any Means drag on the Ground.
P2. With a verb.
a. to bear water.
†(a) To be tenable, to hold up to examination or scrutiny; to hold water (see hold v. 32b). Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1630 D. Featley Grand Sacrilege Church of Rome 44 This solution will no way beare water.
1655 R. Jackson Suddain Ess. 5 No wrested interpretation can beare water against the cleare and unforced evidence of the word.
1704 N. N. tr. T. Boccalini Advts. from Parnassus I. 59 But I must beg leave to tell you, this Excuse will not bear Water.
1728 W. Smith Ann. Univ.-Coll. (new ed.) 185 And upon that Fear and Conviction that his Cause could not bear Water.
1766 T. Amory Life John Buncle II. 500 If the business won't bear water, Banter and perplex the matter.
†(b) Of wine: drinkable when watered down. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 454 The wines heerabout are very strong and bear water well.
1709 Hist. Wks. Learned May 278 The Paris Wines, he says, are very delicate, and have an agreeable taste, but do not bear Water.
1817 Analectic Mag. Dec. 472 Champagne is aperitive; it intoxicates easily; but will not bear water.
1846 C. Fleming & J. Tibbins Royal Dict. Eng. & French 119/1 This wine bears water, ce vin porte bien l'eau.
1858 tr. ‘J. T. de Saint-Germain’ in Englishwoman's Domest. Mag. Sept. 144/2 The wine..is tolerable, and with water one can manage to drink it. It is wine which bears water very well.
b. U.S. colloquial (chiefly Politics). to carry water for (also to carry (another's) water): to be the lackey of; to do the bidding of; to serve the interests of. Cf. water carrier n. 1c(a).In early use sometimes as part of an extended metaphor.
ΚΠ
1963 R. McA. Brown tr. G. Casalis Portrait K. Barth ii. 68 The Russian authorities and the German communists..soon discovered that [Barth]..was not their man and that they had been deceived if they counted on him to carry water for the mill of eastern propaganda [Fr. pour apporter de l'eau au moulin de la propagande orientale].
1965 Human Events 17 Apr. 1/3 Mr. Dirksen, for reasons best known to himself, has more often than not been carrying water for his Democratic colleagues.
1977 Washington Post (Nexis) 13 June Hua may have been carrying water for Yeh and other army leaders when he purged a dogmatist clique..and took the chairmanship, but he can no longer be considered just a front man.
1994 J. Carroll City Below 287 ‘Who would you be talking to, Squire?’ ‘Frank.’ ‘I thought that might be it. You still carrying his water?’
2014 Internat. N.Y. Times (Nexis) 17 Dec. (Finance section) 16 Aides to the congressman said he was in no way carrying water for Wall Street.
c. colloquial (originally and chiefly British). to feel something in one's water (also waters): to have a strong intuition or hunch about something. Frequently in to feel it in one's water. Similarly to have a feeling in one's water. Cf. to feel something in one’s marrow at marrow n.1 1d, to feel (also know, etc.) in one's bones at bone n.1 Phrases 1b(c).In quot. 1972 reporting a conversation alleged to have taken place in 1933.
ΚΠ
1964 M. Henry Air Gunner iv. 165 I had a feeling in my water that he would collect [the prize] because, before joining the R.A.F. he had been a game-keeper!
1972 M. Oliphant Rutherford viii. 110 Rutherford roared: ‘Reasons! Reasons! I feel it in my water!’
1996 S. China Morning Post (Hong Kong) (Nexis) 26 May (Metro section) 7 ‘We're going to get a better take, I can feel it in my waters,’ Johns said enthusiastically into the telephone.
2006 Daily Mirror 13 June 27/3 I knew this was coming, I could feel it in my water.
†d. to go to the waters: = to take the waters at Phrases 2k(b). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatments using water > practise hydropathy [verb (intransitive)] > frequent or visit spas
to take the waters1652
to go to the waters1788
spa1832
1788 T. Jefferson Let. 3 Aug. in Papers (1956) XIII. 465 He has obtained leave to go to the waters.
1805 tr. J.-F. Marmontel Mem. III. viii. 51 Is it indeed true that you are going to the waters with us?
1894 C. Bache tr. F. Liszt Lett. II. 275 The Hereditary Highnesses are going to the waters (Marienbad and Pyrmont) in a few days.
e.
(a) to hold one's water: to be continent with regard to urination; to stop oneself from urinating involuntarily. Often in negative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > defecation or urination > urinary system > urinate [verb (intransitive)] > retain urine
to hold one's watera1500
a1500 Med. Recipes (Sloane 3153) in F. Heinrich Mittelengl. Medizinbuch (1896) 81 (MED) For him þat mai not hold his water [L. retinere vrinam].
1580 J. Hester tr. L. Fioravanti Short Disc. Chirurg. sig. F.iij (heading) To helpe those that can-not hold their water.
1664 J. S. Παιδων Νοσηματα iii. xv. 140 Involuntary pissing, or not holding of the Water, in Children is more familiar to them then those that are elder, because Children are rather governed by their appetite then will.
1712 P. Woodman Medicus Novissimus 163 Children that could not hold their Water, but pissed a Bed every Night.
1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth III. 31 Come ye broken Maids that..can never hold your Water.
1847 Jrnl. Health & Dis. Sept. 67 He was troubled with stone in the bladder: in travelling inside the stage..he wanted to get out at each stage to pass his water. The driver abused him: he held his water and died of ruptured bladder.
1920 Lancet 16 Oct. 792/1 The patient has complete control over the time of micturition; he can hold his water, but he cannot direct the stream of urine in a proper manner.
1991 R. R. McCammon Boys' Life i. iii. 35 I came very close to wetting my pants. Somehow I held my water, but it was a near thing.
†(b) figurative. to hold out water: to be or stay sound or valid against examination or scrutiny. Cf. hold water at hold v. 32b. Obsolete.In quot. 1598 as part of an extended metaphor.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > foundation in fact, validity > be or remain valid [verb (intransitive)]
standOE
holdc1315
to hold out water1598
to run on all fours1617
hold water1622
to pass for (later as) sterling1641
ring1857
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. i. 83 Ga. They pray continuallie to their Saint the Common-wealth..they ride vp and downe on her, and make her their bootes. Cham. What, the Common-wealth their bootes? will shee hold out water in foule way? View more context for this quotation
1612 W. Fennor Cornu-copiæ 34 No, this deuise too much in vse is growne, And will not hold out water to the last.
1652 Bastard v. iv. 78 You must sweare Balthazar killed Mariana, Chaves Balthazar; Chaves and Varina fell By mad Picarro's arme; then in revenge Roderigvez kill'd Picarro; this is brave, 'Twill hold out water well.
†f. to lay in water: to render inoperative, ineffective, or invalid; to cause to be nullified or wasted; to dissipate. In early use also to lay a water. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > be of no avail to [verb (transitive)] > have no effect upon > render ineffectual
voida1340
mortifyc1390
to lay in water?c1425
frustrate1471
stint1509
mutilatec1570
dead1602
unvirtuate1611
ineffectuate1633
nonplus1640
?c1425 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Royal 17 D.vi) (1860) 41 Her gode fame is leide a water thore.
a1450 (?1419–20) Friar Daw's Reply (Digby) l. 41 in P. L. Heyworth Jack Upland (1968) 74 But Iak þouȝ þi questions semen to þee wyse, Ȝit liȝtly a lewid man maye leyen hem a water.
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour i. xxiv. sig. M Ciuile warres and batayles, wherin infinite people were slayne..the lawes layde in water (as is the prouerbe).
1579 S. Gosson Schoole of Abuse f. 4 Either Apollo must haue plaied the bone setter, or euery occupation beene layde a water.
1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie xcv. 579 If I lende him money nowe, it is layde a water, I loose a whole yeares occupying of it.
c1600 (?c1395) Pierce Ploughman's Crede (Trin. Cambr. R.3.15) (1873) l. 782 (MED) Now þe harlottes han hid thilke rewle, And, for the loue of oure lorde, haue leyd hire in water.
a1607 A. Dent Opening of Heauen Gates (1610) 97 Haue not these wise men laid true religion in water and sacrifized their zeale to reason, as if she were some Goddesse?
g. to make water: to urinate. Now chiefly euphemistic. [Compare Middle French faire son eau (1475), Middle French, French †faire de l'eau (c1550).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > defecation or urination > urinary system > urinate [verb (intransitive)]
migheeOE
pissc1300
to make water?a1475
stale1530
leak1598
urinate1599
minge1606
urine1607
water1631
stroana1730
to pass water1738
to pump ship1759
piddle1784
to make one's burn1788
pittle1801
pee1825
micturate1842
tiddlea1852
leck1922
wet1925
whizz1929
wee-wee1930
wee1934
widdle1934
to go (make) wee-wee1937
tinkle1943
void1947
to take a leak1969
potty1972
slash1973
wazz1984
a1400 [see sense 17b].
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1865) I. 359 (MED) Mony men of that cuntre vse to make water and to send furthe theire vryne syttenge [L. sedendo..urinam emittunt].
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xiii. 603 He leit thame nocht haf sic laseir As anys wattir for to ma.
1562 W. Turner Bk. Natures Bathes Eng. f. 7, in 2nd Pt. Herball It is good for the flixe to the chamber pot called of the beste Physicianes Diabetes, that is when a man maketh water oft and much.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) iv. iv. 37 When did'st thou see me heaue vp my leg, and make water against a Gentlewomans farthingale? View more context for this quotation
1650 E. Chilmead tr. J. Gaffarel in tr. L. Modena Hist. Rites of Jews sig. Bv Those that make water, Naked, in a Porch, or Entry of any House, shall be Poor men.
1706 tr. F. de la Calmette Riverius Reformatus iii. 162 Those that are troubled with this Distemper, by continually making Water, fill the Chamber-Pots.
1789 J. Howard Acct. Lazarettos Europe 195 No prisoner..shall..make water against any part of the building, under the penalty of forfeiting for each offence..four-pence.
1827 Lancet 6 Jan. 462/1 He was..enabled..to make water without splashing his silk stockings.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 259 The man who wets his bed, rather than take the trouble to get out and make water, is insanely idle.
1936 D. Thomas Let. 25 Apr. (1987) 226 He'd give her another cup of tea and hold the chamber pot up invitingly and say, ‘Now surely you must make water now.’
1999 Bristol Post (Nexis) 13 Apr. 6 Every couple of streets, the blind man needed to go to the toilet or, as he said, to ‘make water’.
h. to pass water: to urinate. Now chiefly somewhat euphemistic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > defecation or urination > urinary system > urinate [verb (intransitive)]
migheeOE
pissc1300
to make water?a1475
stale1530
leak1598
urinate1599
minge1606
urine1607
water1631
stroana1730
to pass water1738
to pump ship1759
piddle1784
to make one's burn1788
pittle1801
pee1825
micturate1842
tiddlea1852
leck1922
wet1925
whizz1929
wee-wee1930
wee1934
widdle1934
to go (make) wee-wee1937
tinkle1943
void1947
to take a leak1969
potty1972
slash1973
wazz1984
1738 J. Kirkpatrick Let. 22 Nov. in D. Hartley View Present Evid. Mrs. Stephens’s Med. (1739) 148 Some Days I shall be pretty easy, even after passing Water.
1765 R. Whytt Observ. Disorders Nerv. Hypochondriac i. 82 I knew a woman possessed of a most delicate stomach, who..was apt to fall a retching as often as she made the necessary effort to pass water.
1860 F. Nightingale Notes on Nursing (rev. ed.) 199 She will know the shiver which betrays the formation of matter—that which shows the unconscious patient's desire to pass water—that which precedes fever.
1884 H. Thompson Tumours of Bladder 35 Case 34... Last four years much difficulty and pain in passing water;..Now passes water about every hour, day and night.
1965 Times Lit. Suppl. 16 Sept. 812/2 Among his many idiosyncrasies a desire to pass water at the most inopportune moments has become increasingly manifest.
1998 Cosmopolitan (U.K. ed.) Sept. 55/1 (advt.) Cymalon quickly relieves the symptoms associated with cystitis: the burning pain when passing water, and the need to visit the toilet more frequently.
†i. to run on (also of, a) water: to discharge a watery liquid; (of the mouth or eyes) to water. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > discharge or flux > discharge [verb (intransitive)] > discharge watery fluid
to run on water?1523
to run on water1566
weep1882
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxvii Ye shall perceyue that by swellyng in the heed, and specially by the eyen, for they woll ron on water.
1562 J. Heywood Sixt Hundred Epigrammes c, in Wks. sig. Ee His eyes ran a water.
1566 T. Blundeville Order curing Horses Dis. f. 98v, in Fower Offices Horsemanshippe Of the Crowne scabbe... The cronets wil be alwayes mattering, and runne on a water.
1572 G. Kyttes Vnluckie Firmentie sig. B.i When he sawe a full platter His mouth woulde streyght run of water Tyll he therof had parte.
1600 N. Breton Pasquils Mistresse sig. Dv If that her eyes be bleer'd, and runne a water.
1664 H. More Modest Enq. Myst. Iniquity 425 Those fat and fair Objects that make their mouths run a-water so.
1715 C. Bullock Woman's Revenge ii. 37 My Mouth runs on Water for that Punch-bowl.
j. where the water sticks: where the irreconcilable difference or difficulty lies. Now archaic and rare. [After classical Latin aqua haeret the water sticks (Cicero).]
ΚΠ
1643 J. Bramhall Serpent Salve 225 This brings us to the true question where the water sticks.
1673 J. Humfrey Middle-Way in One Paper 20 I will tell you where the water sticks. It sticks between the Schools and Calvin, where it does between the Arminians and Calvinists, and that is upon the point altogether of resistibility or irresistibility.
1959 G. Heyer Unknown Ajax vii. 94 I would [look nice] if I wore some kind of a corset, and that's where the water sticks, for I'm one who likes to be comfortable.
k.
(a) to take water.
(i) To embark on a vessel, take ship. Also to take the water. Now rare (historical in later use).Between the late 16th and 18th centuries frequently spec. with reference to travelling by boat on the Thames.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > [verb (intransitive)] > embark or take ship
shipa1122
to take (one's) shippinga1300
to take waterc1425
boat1540
embarka1586
bark1592
to get aboarda1616
c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) v. l. 1844 (MED) I Troye lond forsook And þe water with my shippes took.
1548 W. Patten Exped. Scotl. D iij b This thus apointed, my lorde Admirall rode back to take the water agayne.
1592 Arden of Feversham sig. Dv Sirra Shakbag, at his comming foorth Ile runne him through, and then to the blackfreers, And there take water and a way.
1637 J. Shirley Lady of Pleasure iv. sig. H A coach will easily convey it, or You may take water at strand bridge.
1650 J. Trapp Clavis to Bible (Num. xxxii. 23) 69 Taking water, with purpose to sail into Flanders.
1708 Constitutions Company Watermen & Lightermen 81 None plying the Long-Ferry shall ply one about to take Water with another, except, &c.
a1754 T. Carte Gen. Hist. Eng. (1755) IV. 50 Stukely agreeing to go with him, they took water: but were seized in the way to Gravesend.
1793 T. Hastings Regal Rambler 91 He took water at the Temple-stairs.
1856 A. C. Coxe Impressions of Eng. (ed. 2) v. 37 In company with a friend, I next ‘took water’ at Westminster bridge, for a trip down the river.
1889 M. Oliphant Poor Gentleman I. vi. 93 The boating parties that ‘took the water’ there.
1997 J. Dessau Take Now, pay Later viii. 203 Immediately, at dawn of the next day, Sir Ralph Winwood and his fellow-Commissioners, took water at Westminster for Henley-on-Thames.
(ii) Of a person or animal: to enter a body of water (as a river, the sea, etc.) and begin to swim. Of a ship: to be launched; to set sail. Also (now more usually) to take the water.When referring to swimming to take to the water is now commoner: see to take to —— 1b at take v. Phrasal verbs 2.In contexts referring to animals sometimes with reference to entering water as a means of attempting to evade pursuit or attack; cf. Phrases 2k(a)(iv).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by locomotion > locomotion of animals > [verb (intransitive)] > swim
rowOE
to take water1485
scull1665
the world > movement > progressive motion > moving with current of air or water > movement in or on water > move in or on water [verb (intransitive)] > swim > begin to
to take water1485
society > travel > travel by water > launching a vessel > be launched [verb (intransitive)]
to take the water1578
launch1665
1485 W. Caxton tr. Thystorye & Lyf Charles the Grete sig. hv/1 Rychard..made the sygne of the crosse vpon his body..and soo toke the water & folowed the hert.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde iii. iv. f. 104v They mette sumtymes with Crocodiles lyinge on the sandes, the whiche when they fled, or tooke the water, they lefte a very sweete sauour behynde them.
1578 J. Polemon All Famous Battels 254 The boates began to take the water, to transport the French souldiours.
1605 G. Chapman et al. Eastward Hoe iii. sig. D3 Did you see the new Ship lancht last day... I warrant, here will be double as many people to see her take coach, as there were to see it take water.
a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) ii. vii. 202 As to the Water-Fowls, the difficulty is less, for they can and do supply the weariness of a long flight by taking Water.
1734 Philos. Trans. Abridged 1719–33 (Royal Soc.) 6 439 [Men of War] take the Water perpendicularly, and enter far enough not to miss it.
1766 C. Anstey New Bath Guide 38 Oh 'twas pretty to see them all put on their Flannels, And then take the Water like so many Spaniels.
1852 C. W. Webber Romance Nat. Hist. 519 The other dog had brought down an enormous old buck, which took water at the same time near him.
1875 Town & Country Jrnl. (Sydney) 8 May 743/3 When the boats took water, the Cambridge crew rowed a quicker stroke than their opponents.
1891 New Review Aug. 167 I..lay to to see it take the water, as its evident intention was to cross to the mainland.
1901 Scotsman 7 Mar. 5/6 Launch of the cruiser Kent... The vessel took the water without a hitch.
1925 Forest & Stream Nov. 648/1 A very odd happening was brought about on one occasion by this tendency of wounded deer to take the water.
1976 New Scientist 18 Nov. 387/3 (caption) The first prototype of the duck design that should take the water in Loch Ness next April.
1993 L. McMurtry Streets of Laredo ii. ii. 246 Rarely had she needed to strike her horse, but this morning, when he refused to take the water, she beat him with all her strength.
(iii) Of a boat or other vessel: to admit or ship water through a leak or port, over the side, etc. (cf. take v. 34a). Also figurative: to have a flaw or weak point; to be in trouble. Also to take in (also on) water. Cf. make v.1 28a.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > shipwreck > suffer shipwreck [verb (intransitive)] > take in water
to take in (also on) water1530
to ship a sea1698
wet1874
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement f. cclxxiv/1 I Lade I take in water as a shyp or bote that is nat staunched, Ie boy de leaue.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde i. iii. f. 229v One of theyr shyppes leaked and toke water very sore.
1590 ‘Pasquil’ First Pt. Pasquils Apol. sig. D2v The rest of his reasons haue taken water, and are rotten before they come to shore.
1640 Bp. J. Hall Episcopacie ii. xx. 202 All the rest are easily freed; St. Jerome and St. Ambrose in the opinion of some seem to take in water.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 97 It [sc. a Barrel of Gun-powder] had taken Water, and the Powder was cak'd as hard as a Stone.
1777 Weekly Misc. 10 Feb. 451 It [sc. a canoe] took water every where, and I was forced to lose two whole hours to repair it.
1843 Jrnl. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 12 ii. 777 Sympiesometer 29.22. and falling; blowing a hard gale, pitching hard, and taking water on deck.
1864 Amer. Ann. Cycl. 1863 III. 670/2 The fire in her forehold burst out again, and the engineers reported the ship taking in water rapidly.
1908 M. A. Grainger Woodsmen of West xxxi. 181 The boat took water over both low-sunk sides at once.
1942 Sun (Baltimore) 30 Nov. 10/3 By this time, we were rapidly taking on water... One of our cruisers offered to sink the ship if I thought it was advisable.
1990 Lifeboat Spring 226/2 The barge had been driven aground and was taking water.
2001 Time 22 Jan. 26/2 Aides were slow to notice that the Ashcroft nomination was taking on water.
2008 C. M. Paratore Funeral Director's Son xvi. 102 The waves got higher and higher, the boat was taking water, but they kept at it till the whole catch was in.
(iv) U.S. colloquial. To take flight; to retreat; to abandon one's position; to back down.Originally a figurative use of Phrases 2k(a)(ii).
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away [verb (intransitive)] > run away or flee > desert one's place or position
outrage1447
startc1540
desert1689
to take water1846
1846 Arkansas Democrat 2 Oct. The Advertiser need be under no apprehensions in reference to ‘that corrupt clique’. We have already ‘rooted’ it out; and its members are all ‘taking water’, as rapidly as did a certain herd of swine.
1849 Fort Wayne (Indiana) Times 15 Nov. When manfully confronted by Breeze, he ‘backed out’, ‘took water’, ‘mizzled’, and said he never meant it.
1853 J. G. Baldwin Flush Times Alabama & Mississippi 275 ‘If it please your honor, I believe I will take water’ (a common expression, signifying that the person using it would take a nonsuit).
1891 C. Roberts Adrift in Amer. 200 The fellow, who was really a coward, though nearly twice as big as myself, took water at once.
1910 Overland Monthly Oct. 383/1 Old hands forgot to draw at the critical moment, but stood with dropped chins and ‘took water’.
1991 W. W. Johnstone Code of Mountain Man i. 15 He'd been a bully all his life, and folks usually backed up and took water when he prodded them.
(b) to take the waters: to drink or bathe in the waters from a mineral spring or spa for reasons of health or well-being.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatments using water > practise hydropathy [verb (intransitive)] > frequent or visit spas
to take the waters1652
to go to the waters1788
spa1832
1652 J. French York-shire Spaw 85 I approve not of taking the waters too fast.
1664 H. Bennet Let. 11 Aug. in R. Fanshaw Orig. Lett. (1701) 226 I have not heard of Don Patricio Omuledei..I hear he is at Tunbridge, taking the Waters.
1733 Present State Republick Lett. 11 iii. 56 The best Preparation for Bathing, is by taking the Waters internally.
1789 E. Craven Journey through Crimea vii. 18 Vichy, where the king's aunts were taking the waters.
1830 Periscope May in Medico-chirurg. Rev., & Jrnl. Pract. Med. 13 230/1 While the subject..was at Cheltenham taking the waters.., the colon emptied itself effectually every day.
1879 J. Morley Milton 108 He died at Spa, where he was taking the waters, in September 1653.
1942 E. Ferber Saratoga Trunk (new ed.) ix. 179 There was a régime for the day—you took the waters, you walked, there were baths.
2007 Times 24 Feb. (Body & Soul section) 21/4 Wealthy Arabs..bring their entire families to spend several months taking the waters during the summer.
2012 Wales on Sunday (Nexis) 25 Mar. 8 Visitors can still take the waters at Llandrindod Wells' springs—the mineral rich liquid is available by the glass.
†l. to watch (also attend) a person's water(s): to scrutinize a person's behaviour closely. Cf. sense 17a. Obsolete. [Compare German jemandem das Wasser besehen.]
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > investigation, inspection > close examination, scrutiny > scrutinize [verb (transitive)] > assess conduct, suitability, etc.
sift1573
to watch a person's water1640
to put (a horse, etc.) through (its, etc.) paces1766
to check up (on) (also to check on)1911
vet1924
process1925
to check out1962
1640 J. Shirley Arcadia ii. sig. C2 They shano't scape me, Ile watch their waters narrowlie I warrant you.
1664 T. Killigrew Pilgrim ii. v, in Comedies & Trag. 174 Farewell, little Rogue, till another time, but I will watch your water.
1704 G. Farquhar Stage-coach i. 9 Capt. We shall take care of that Matter. Squ. Aye, aye, so we will; my dear Friend here, and I, shall watch your Water;—I'll warrant you.
1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 9 What can we expect less in the succeeding Year, than that his great Proxy, the first Lieutenant, attend his Waters purely to prevent an Interregnum.
1776 J. Leacock Fall Brit. Tyranny iii. iii. 27 Be gone you scoundrel! I'll watch your waters, 'tis time to clear the land of such infernal vermin.
m. to write in (also on) water: (a) to leave only a transitory record of (something); frequently in passive; (b) (in passive) (of a promise, undertaking, etc.) to be nominal, to fail to be honoured or adhered to. [Compare classical Latin in aquā scrībere (Catullus), ancient Greek εἰς ὕδωρ γράϕειν, ἐν ὕδατι γράϕειν, Hellenistic Greek καθ' ὕδατος γράϕειν, all with reference to pointless activities.]
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1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 107v The counsaile I haue alwaies giuen thee, which..I meane no more to write in water.
1620 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Phylaster v. 57 All your better deedes shall be in water writ; but this in marble.
1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iv. ii. 46 Mens euill manners, liue in Brasse, their Vertues We write in Water . View more context for this quotation
1706 J. Stevens New Spanish Dict. i. at Escrivir To write on the Sand, or Water, is to do things to no purpose, as that Writing is immediatly effac'd.
1783 Parker's Gen. Advertiser 8 Jan. A man..whose promises are written in water, and whose whole life is a libel upon human nature.
1821 J. Keats in Poet. Wks. (1876) p. xxx Here lies one whose name was writ in water.
1831 Athenæum 31 Dec. 847/2 If he will choose a less expanded subject..he may find readers who will remember his words—for the present we fear he has written them on water.
1846 E. B. Barrett Let. 26 Jan. in Lett. R. Browning & E. B. Barrett (1899) I. 433 I may say of Henrietta that her only fault is, her virtues being written in water.
1886 Birmingham Daily Post 25 Jan. 7/3 He thought they might venture to hope that these services would not be written in water only, but would be gratefully remembered.
1916 America 29 Jan. 370/1 Good works they [sc. earlier missionaries] did in abundance, but their names they deliberately wrote in water.
1992 Financial Times 20 Oct. 24/1 A firmly worded commitment has once more proved to be written on water.
n. to blow out of the water: see blow v.1 Additions. to hold water: see hold v. 32. to muddy the water(s): see muddy v. 3b. to test the water: see test v.2 2a. to walk on water: see walk v. Phrases 18.
P3. In collocation with another noun. See also milk-and-water n. and adj., soap and water n., etc.
a.
(a) bread and water: as the type of an extremely plain or frugal diet, as of a prisoner, penitent, or ascetic. Similarly (in early use) †loaf and water, also †bran and water. [Compare classical Latin pānis et aqua; later also Anglo-Norman pain e ewe (1376 or earlier; compare Middle French, French au pain et à l'eau), and Middle Dutch water ende broot (Dutch water en brood), Middle High German wazzer und brōt (German Wasser und Brot).]
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OE tr. Chrodegang of Metz Regula Canonicorum (Corpus Cambr. 191) l. 273 Gif he þonne gyt wiðligð þissum forbeode ma him ælce bilyfne butan hlafe and wætere, oð he hit fullice gebete.
lOE St. Margaret (Corpus Cambr.) (1994) 160 Þa com hire fosterfæder gan to hire and þurh an eahþyrl he hire to spræc and he hire brohte bread and wæter [OE Tiber. hi wæs fædende mid hlafe and mid wætre].
a1425 Dialogue Reason & Adversity (Cambr.) (1968) 37 (MED) Summe þat myghte haue had alle maner deyntees hadde delit to be fed a mong with bred & water.
?c1450 tr. Bk. Knight of La Tour Landry (1906) 12 [She] fasted iij tymes a woke, two tymes in brede and water.
1474 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (1790) *32 If any man come to late to mattyns..he shall sytt at the water boarde, and have nothinge unto his dynner but breade and water.
1537 tr. Original & Sprynge all Sectes f. 5 His meate was bread and water, his clothynge was a cote of males vpon his bare body.
1569 T. Knell Epit. Boner sig. B.j His soule was wearie here, in the life that he had, His foode was breade and water, his lodgying was to badde.
1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost i. i. 289 You shall fast a weeke with Branne and Water. View more context for this quotation
1600 T. Nashe Summers Last Will sig. E3 Thou withholdest both the mault and flowre, And giu'st vs branne, and water, (fit for dogs.)
1697 T. D'Urfey Intrigues at Versailles ii. ii. 15 I had as live be in the Bastile, and order'd to feed upon Bread and Water, as be Confin'd to the sneaking allowance that a Parsimonious Husband shall bestow on me.
1749 T. Smollett tr. A. R. Le Sage Gil Blas I. i. xii. 61 To regale myself still with my bread and water, and a sight of the silent turnkey.
1781 Lett. Ital. Nun & Eng. Gentleman 44 The most inexorable Tyrant does not refuse bread and water to the Criminal whom he has consigned to the Dungeon!
1822 S. Smith in Edinb. Rev. Feb. 364 Are visiting Justices to doom such a prisoner to bread and water?
1888 Times 21 June 10/3 He was put upon bread and water.
1921 E. L. Masters Mitch Miller xiv. 113 After that they..put him in a dark room and kept him on bread and water for a day.
1964 D. Wheatley They used Dark Forces vii. 98 To bitch Hitler's last chance of winning the war I'd willingly spend a year down a coal mine on bread and water.
2003 Sunday Tasmanian (Nexis) 14 Dec. We will all be reduced to bread and water to pay for our Yuletide largesse.
(b) water under the bridge (also over the dam, under the dyke, under the mill, etc.): used in various expressions referring to the passing of time, or (in later use) to suggest that past events have been forgotten or are not worth bringing up or discussing.Earliest in the form water has flowed under the bridge. [Compare French il passera bien de l'eau sous le pont, lit. ‘much water will pass under the bridge’ (1842 or earlier).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > past [phrase] > water under the bridge
watereOE
water under the bridge (also over the dam, under the dyke, under the mill, etc.)1858
1858 J. Kavanagh Adèle II. xviii. 288 Ah! water has flowed under the bridge, as people say, since those days.
1870 V. Vaughan tr. ‘G. Sand’ Mauprat 39 You are not yet tall enough to reach the branch that will hold me; and before then—a good deal of water will flow under the bridge, perhaps, whose taste you don't yet know.
1904 Congregationalist & Christian World 1 Oct. 451/3 ‘Much water has gone under the bridge’ since the Pilgrims and Puritans left the mother Church.
1908 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 7 Jan. 6/3 The water has gone over the dam so far as Mr. Dillon and I are concerned and we are very good friends again.
1919 N.Y. Times 20 Dec. 2/7 All this is water over the dam. What has been done cannot be undone.
1922 Mag. Wall St. 19 Aug. 614/1 It is highly desirable for a rating to distinguish between past actualities—which are water under the bridge—and future prospects.
1940 Nation (N.Y.) 16 Mar. 364 Last year's results are water under the mill.
1964 E. F. Beckenbach Appl. Combinatorial Math. x. 292 But these fees are water under the bridge, for we have paid them and they will never be returned to us.
1969 ‘W. Haggard’ Doubtful Disciple xi. 116 ‘Where did he get it?’ ‘From Seyer, I think—we can't escape that. But that's water over the dam by now.’
1976 Glasgow Herald 26 Nov. 5/4 Does he look back in anger as a result of his wartime experiences? ‘Not now—perhaps a little to start with. But a lot of water has gone under the dyke since then.’
1977 J. Thomson Case Closed iii. 43 It's been quite a time since we last met. Water under the bridge, as they say.
2005 S. Booth One Last Breath xxvi. 391 Look, it's all water under the bridge, that. I don't want to talk about it.
(c) slang (originally and chiefly British). to make a hole in the water: to commit suicide by drowning. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > killing > suicide > [verb (intransitive)] > types of
to put a pistol to (one's) head1741
to make a hole in the water1826
self-immolate1879
1826 Times 3 Nov. He told her, if he could not go on he should make a hole in the water.
1853 C. Dickens Bleak House xlvi. 446 I don't know why I don't go and make a hole in the water, I'm sure I don't.
1898 Western Mail (Perth, Austral.) 2 Sept. 34/4 It is alleged that during the day he had stated his intention to make away with himself, remarking that he would ‘make a hole in the water’.
1924 Teesdale Mercury 11 June In his blackest moods he talked of making a hole in the water.
1939 J. B. Priestley Let People Sing 16 Others again..not wanting to live on, pulling a trigger, making a hole in the water.
1989 Social Hist. 14 123 The young woman in London ‘making a hole in the water’ was perhaps closer to the reality than Anderson implies.
(d) water in a person's shoes (and variants): used (chiefly in similative expressions) as the type of something worthless or undesirable. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > [noun] > unpleasantness > that which is unpleasant
unthankc897
offensiona1382
offencec1425
displeasure1470
pill1548
phlegm1567
water in a person's shoes1624
a whip and a bell1644
nastiness1718
disagreeable1726
watera1734
embitterer1752
disagreement1778
disagreeablism1835
grit1876
bad news1918
nasty1959
scuzz1968
napalm1984
1624 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy (ed. 2) ii. ii. i. ii. 204 I reprehend it not moderately vsed, but to some men nothing can be more offensiue, they had better powre so much water in their shooes.
1641 H. Peacham Worth of Peny 12 The hanging on and intrusion of some necessitous parasites, of whom they shall finde as much use as of water in their bootes.
1645 T. Shepard Sound Beleever 250 The simplicity of the Gospell is as water in mens shoes; Ministers must preach novelties.
1732 T. Fuller Gnomologia 28 As welcome as Water in one's Shoes.
a1734 R. North Life F. North (1742) 151 They caressed his Lordship very much as a new Comer,..and talked about a Time to dine with him; all which (as they say) was Water in his Shoes.
1824 Compl. Hist. Murder Mr. Weare App. 231 The organ of destructiveness was not at all prominent or developed. This was ‘water in the shoes’ of the phrenologists.
1871 H. B. Stowe My Wife & I v. 45 You don't need either tobacco or spirits any more than you need water in your shoes.
1958 Anderson (Indiana) Herald 24 May 8 You need the friendship of those girls like you need water in your shoes!
1981 Sun (Baltimore) 22 Mar. k1/1 As my mother-in-law would put it, I need additional costly legal challenges like I need ‘water in my shoes’.
(e) †to set a person's teeth on water and variants: to cause a person's mouth to water (literal and figurative). Cf. water v. 7. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > appetite > have (good) appetite [verb (intransitive)] > excite appetite
to make a person's mouth watera1586
to set a person's teeth on water1591
1591 R. Greene Second Pt. Conny-catching sig. A2v The horse was so faire and lustie, wel proportioned, of a high crest,..which set the Priggars teeth a water to haue him.
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Tutto in sapore, louing earnestly, euen till ones teeth run a water.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. xxxiii. xi. 481 Their rich plate set their enemies teeth on water.
1655 tr. C. Sorel Comical Hist. Francion iii. 74 He delighted it seemed, to eate that which was good, and rare before us, purposely to set our teeth on water [Fr. de nous faire enrager d'enuie].
†(f) †to put water in a person's worts: to make things unpleasant for a person. Cf. to cast (something) in a person's worts at wort n.2 Phrases 1. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1579 S. Gosson Apol. Schoole of Abuse in Ephemerides Phialo f. 81v They haue..threatned highly, too put water in my woortes, whensoeuer they catche me.
b. In names for various medical conditions.
(a) water on (also †in) the brain: = hydrocephalus n. [Compare German Wasser im Hirn (1744; 1650 with reference to a disease in cattle).]
ΚΠ
1768 R. Whytt Observ. Dropsy Brain 31 The symptoms of no distemper resemble these of water in the brain so much as those which arise from worms in the stomach.
1798 C. Brown Treat. Scrophulous Dis. 102 (note) All such as are rachitic, badly nursed, potbellied, or disposed to hydrocephalus internus, or water on the brain.
1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Good for Nothing iii Some people thought he had gout in the stomach, others vowed it was water on the brain.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) II. 1307 The cavities or ventricles..contain a fluid like that in the spinal-cord canal, and in the disease called ‘water on the brain’ this fluid is abnormally large in amount and the ventricles are correspondingly expanded.
2000 Reader's Digest Oct. 25/1 About 150 premature babies each year develop brain haemorrhages which are severe enough to cause hydrocephalus or water on the brain.
(b) water in the head: = hydrocephalus n. Now rare (chiefly historical).
ΚΠ
1585 J. Banister Wecker's Compend. Chyrurg. i. 113 (heading) Of water in the head of a childe [L. De Hydrocephalo, hoc est, Aqua in capite pueri].
1665 M. Nedham Medela Medicinæ 45 These cannot be reputed the onely Pathognomical Signs of the disease, because it also..marcheth under the Colours of most other diseases; as the Hydrocephalus intra Cranium, i. e. the Water in the Head, [etc.].
1728 Stamford Mercury 7 Mar. 73/4 London Bill of Mortality..Water in the Head 4.
1852 J. Savory Domest. Med. (ed. 4) 261 Water in the head is almost peculiar to infants, and chiefly to those of a scrofulous or rickety habit.
2000 Clin. Pediatrics 39 707/3 This book specifically addressed 12 common pediatric problems, from acidities to vomitting to water in the head.
(c) water on the knee: effusion of fluid in the knee joint.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > disorders of joints > [noun] > bursitis > of knee
housemaid's knee1824
water on the knee1882
prepatellar bursitis1898
1882 Boston Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 7 Dec. 534/1 The familiar title ‘dropsy’, or ‘water on the knee’, adequately describes a state, the presence of which is a symptom, and a symptom only.
1890 A. James Diary 7 Nov. (1965) 151 They [sc. the English] call water on the knee, fluid on the joint.
1976 Liverpool Echo 6 Dec. 1/8 A lone Canadian sailor spent 17 days at sea clinging to his capsized trimaran before he was rescued suffering only from water on the knee.
2012 R. R. Hugate & R. D. Holland Handbk. Hip & Knee Joint Replacem. i. 16 People with arthritis may also develop ‘fluid on the knee’ (sometimes also known as ‘water on the knee’) especially after they are active.
c. In phrases of the form —— and water, denoting (esp. alcoholic) drinks diluted with water, as whisky and water, etc. Hence also in humorous (typically ad hoc) phrases, implying a weakened, insubstantial, or insipid form of the thing specified.brandy and water, gin and water, rum and water, wine and water: see the first words. See also milk-and-water n. and adj., milk-and-water v.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [noun] > weakness of immaterial things > typical example of
water1698
water gruel1702
dilution1861
1698 J. Floyer Treat. Asthma iv. 159 By diluting and cooling the viscid Humors, for which end we must drink much of Mead, and Milk-water, Sack and Water, Decoctions of Sarsa and China.
1709 D. Manley Secret Mem. 126 He could not confine himself to Wine and Water, or Tissanes.
1788 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue (ed. 2) at Go-shop The Queen's Head in Duke's-court..where gin and water is sold in three-halfpenny bowls.
1812 H. C. Robinson Jrnl. 13 May in E. J. Morley Blake, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Lamb, Etc. (1922) 50 Bar. Field called Wilson ‘Wordsworth & Water’.
1853 W. M. Thackeray Newcomes (1854) I. vi. 63 Barnes orders absinthe-and-water.
1882 M. Oliphant Lit. Hist. Eng. I. 168 The weak Addison-and-water of the ‘Mirror’ and the ‘Lounger’.
1899 Daily News 13 Mar. 7/1 He once heard a University sermon described as of the Bible and water order.
1936 ‘G. Orwell’ in Fortnightly Nov. 602 The ordinary, good–bad, Galsworthy-and-water stuff which is the norm of the English novel.
1966 H. Kane Devil to Pay vi. 31 I..went behind the bar and made myself a new ball of Scotch and water.
1987 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 6 Feb. 10 His worldly-wise epigrams and paradoxes are Wilde-and-water.
2011 I. M. Cron Jesus, my Father, CIA & Me x. 139 ‘Bring me another Glenlivet and water,’ he said, holding out his empty glass.
P4. With an adjective.
a. colloquial. depreciative. water bewitched (also bewitched water): drink (originally alcoholic drink, later more usually tea or coffee) which is extremely weak or has been excessively diluted. Also figurative. Formerly similarly also †water scared (also turned) out of its wits. Now somewhat archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > tea > [noun] > weak tea
water bewitched1591
cat-lap1785
blash1835
skilly1927
1591 G. Fletcher Of Russe Common Wealth xxviii. f. 112v Quasse, which is nothing els (as wee say) but water turned out of his wittes, with a litle branne meashed with it.
1656 R. Short Περι Ψυχροποσιας ix. 39 We may drink small-beer, such as is water scar'd out of its wits, small-ale, small-wine.
1664 H. Bold Poems 64 Twas this [sc. sack] (in a word) Made, the Cobler, a Lord Till, relaps'd, to bewitched water, In an ill time (then) Recobler'd agen, Was, never, his own man, after.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. iii. 104/2 Wort of the last drawing, it is thin and makes small drink..to give it its true term, it is no other than Water bewitched.
1738 J. Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 24 Your Ladyship is very sparing of your Tea: I protest, the last I took, was no more than Water bewitch'd.
1778 St. James's Chron. 29 Jan. Besides the Water bewitched, the musty Cask, we are generally obliged to drink the worst of all Vinegar, to the Mortification of our Palate, and the Racking of our Bowels.
1845 T. Carlyle in O. Cromwell Lett. & Speeches I. 25 Another Book of Noble's,..is of much more stupid character; nearly meaningless indeed; mere water bewitched.
1853 Ainsworth's Mag. 24 86 They would..devour beefsteaks and drink bewitched water, as they irreverently called the Souchong.
1869 R. F. Burton Explor. Highlands Brazil I. 105 A cup of coffee, not ‘water bewitched’.
1923 J. Kenlon Fourteen Years a Sailor 185 A cup of coffee on the order of what sailors call ‘water bewitched’, because it resembled coffee as much as any other beverage.
1994 H. Dunmore Burning Bright xvii. 178 The tea won't be strong enough and Enid'll call it water bewitched.
b. blue water, cold water, deep water, holy water, hot water, etc.: see the first element.
P5. In proverbs. still (also smooth) waters run deep and variants: a quiet or placid manner may conceal a passionate nature; (sometimes more generally) a superficial appearance of calm, simplicity, etc., may be deceptive. [With quot. a1400 compare quot. lOE at sense 10b, which shows a different translation of the same Latin text.]
ΚΠ
a1400 Cato's Distichs (Fairf.) l. 239 in R. Morris Cursor Mundi (1878) III. App. iv. 1672 (MED) Þer þe flode is deppist þe water standis stillist [L. quod flumen placidum est, forsan latet altius unda].
a1500 (?a1410) J. Lydgate Churl & Bird (Lansd.) l. 184 in Minor Poems (1934) 476 Smothe watres beth oft-sithis deepe.
1607 T. Tuke True Trial Sinner 88 When she is most iocund and obsequious, then shee is most pernicious and dangerous: as the stillest waters are the deepest and most deceitfull.
1632 T. Heywood Iron Age sig. H2v Let not least rage Raigne in your eye, or harshnesse in your tongue, Smooth waters are still deep'st.
1721 J. Kelly Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov. 287 Smooth Waters run deep. Spoken to or of them who seem demure, yet are suspected to be roguish.
1739 H. Baker & J. Miller tr. Molière Tartuffe i. i, in Molière Wks. X. 81 Still Waters, they say, are always deepest; and under your sly Airs, you carry on a Trade I don't at all approve of.
1825 P. Howes New-Eng. Drama ii. iii. 24 I always knew she was an artful jade; ‘still waters run deep;’ but she shall be exposed.
1890 Times of India 12 Mar. 6/4 Of fuss or impatience there is about him not a trace. That's one secret of his vast capacity, for ‘Still waters run deep’.
1935 J. McCord Dawns Delayed xiii. 200 ‘Does she ever speak of..it?’ ‘She never does.’ ‘I fancied not. Still waters, my dear.’
2002 D. Yetman Guarijiós of Sierra Madre vi. 84/1 I later found that he is known as a taciturn fellow but still do not know whether still waters run deep in his case.

Compounds

C1. attributive.
a. In general attributive use.
ΚΠ
OE Ælfric De Temporibus Anni (Cambr. Gg.3.28) (2009) v. 86 Swa swa æddran licgað on þæs mannes lichaman, swa licgað ða wæteræddran geond þas eorðan.
c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 629 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 317 Alle huy [sc. rain, snow, mist, etc.] comiez of water-breth þat þe sonne drauȝth up.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 5620 In þis kist þe barn sco did. Quen it spird was wit þe lid,..Sco laid it on þe water fame.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 11677 (MED) Vr water purueance es gan, And in þis wildernes es nan.
1529 Conventual Lease, Yorks. (P.R.O.) 1190 Asmoch grounde..as to make a sufficient dame apon to gedir water and water draught to the said dame.
c1570 in J. Raine Depositions Courts Durham (1845) 263 The said William Sander..dyd..smite at this deponent with a water staff, suche as fishermen hangs ther nett upon.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. iii. sig. C6v From the same the fierie sparkles flasht, As fast as water-sprinkles gainst a rocke are dasht. View more context for this quotation
1601 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 418/2 Ane watter strype quhilk rynnis at the north syde of the said mure.
?1611 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliads xxi. 241 As a man that finds a water vaine.
a1661 W. Brereton Trav. (1844) 61 The channel or water-passage leading from Amsterdam to Utrecht.
1818 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Canto IV xviii. 12 A fairy city..Rising like water-columns from the sea.
c1820 S. Rogers Italy (1839) 77 Those Porches passed, thro' which the water-breeze Plays.
1830 C. Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 175 The water drainage of the country.
1848 W. W. Lloyd in Numism. Chron. XI. 114 The local water-service.
1869 Bradshaw's Railway Man. 21 242 The dock..measures 600 feet in length and 300 in width, giving an area of water surface of upwards of four acres.
1872 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. July 500/2 A terrible year of water-famine.
1879 G. B. Prescott Speaking Telephone (new ed.) 48 A stone dropped into a pond, throws off a succession of circular undulations or water rings.
1884 Leisure Hour June 344/2 One of the finest of the many picturesque water-chasms of Norway.
1887 E. D. Morgan in Proc. Royal Geogr. Soc. 9 214 Lake Koko-nor, a magnificent water-spread 10,800 feet above the sea.
1888 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 198 All in froth and water-blowballs.
1892 W. G. Kent Water Meter Introd. p. v Those who..may happen to be placed in charge of waterworks or water-distribution.
1904 W. de la Mare Henry Brocken vi. 59 Ears that have heard only..dismal water-songs, and the yelp and quarrel and night-voice of unseen hosts in the forests.
1905 A. R. Wallace My Life I. 250 Perpendicular rocks with no sign of water-wear.
1916 E. Blunden Pastorals 30 Mocked by the white wings of the water-swirl.
1921 Printers' Ink 31 Mar. 81/2 The summer was nearly over and people had ceased to think much about water shortage.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses iii. xvii. [Ithaca] 666 A rockery with waterspray.
1934 O. Barton in W. Beebe Half Mile Down 240 Its atmosphere may be summarized briefly as having a temperature range of 68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, depending upon the outside water temperature.
1935 W. Stevens in Southern Rev. 1 80 The statue stood in stars like water-spheres.
1952 L. MacNeice Ten Burnt Offerings x. 60 The water-talk ends; the scrawl on the sky Smudges and fades.
1955 E. Pound Classic Anthol. ii. 113 Naught stands higher than mount, Nor is hollow deeper than water-fount.
a1957 R. Campbell Coll. Poems (1960) III. 19 Amidst dead calms collapsing water-gushes, And distances cascading to the deeps.
1961 K. Reisz Technique Film Editing (ed. 9) ii. 137 Tiny bugs skim over the water-surface.
1981 Washington Post 5 Feb. (Virginia Weekly section) 1/1 It may take rainfall of near-Biblical proportions to save many Northern Virginians from a summer of tough water restrictions.
1989 Omni Sept. 46/3 Our underground water reserves..have become contaminated..by seepage from underground chemical-storage tanks.
1995 N. Hudson Soil Conservation (ed. 3) i. 32 Deposits of fine material from water erosion can later be vulnerable to wind erosion in a subsequent drier climate.
2013 Daily Tel. 27 Aug. 23/1 There has been much speculation around the environmental risks of shale-gas extraction, concerning water contamination and earth tremors.
b.
water action n.
ΚΠ
1841 Jrnl. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 10 ii. 806 The Khybur pass..did not appear to me to present any greater evidence of unusual water action than did any of the other characteristic passes of the country.
1903 N. S. Shaler Compar. Features Earth & Moon 66 Most selenographers have quite abandoned the idea that any of the features of the moon are due to water action.
1984 A. C. Duxbury & A. Duxbury Introd. World's Oceans x. 334 When the stones roll instead of slide, the water action produces round stones.
water cloud n.
ΚΠ
1600 J. Norden Vicissitudo Rerum sig. C3 Descent oft forced, and Ascent controld, Mooues Warres aboue in ayrie firmament, Tweene water-clouds and others discontent.
c1865 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 122 When lily-yellow is the west. Say, o'er it hangs a water-cloud And ravell'd into strings of rain.
1992 F. P. Fanale et al. in H. H. Kieffer et al. Mars xxxii. 1150 In most of the greenhouse calculations discussed above, the radiative effects of water clouds were ignored.
water conservation n.
ΚΠ
1983 V. Heinlein in R. A. Heinlein & V. Heinlein Grumbles from Grave (1990) xii. 200 The first warning we had was about water conservation—the showers had ‘minutieres’ on them, to time the flow of water.
1985 Cambr. Encycl. Life Sci. ii. 85/1 In lizards, and some birds, urine from the kidney is relatively dilute, and water conservation is effected instead in a region called the cloaca at the end of the collecting duct.
2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 5 July 41/1 Contracted services will include conducting water audits and installing water-conservation devices in about 150,000 homes throughout the state's southeast for two years.
water consumption n.
ΚΠ
1838 6th Ann. Rep. Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Soc. 155 It may perhaps prove interesting to show some of the purposes to which theoretical expansion diagrams can be applied, such as mean steam power exerted, and water consumption per stroke.
1935 Pop. Mech. Mag. June 807/2 Water consumption can be reduced sharply by an automatic hose valve that shuts off the flow when the hose is dropped.
2007 N. Rosen How to live Off-grid ii. 23 At no point..did any party to the debate seriously consider securing a reduction in water consumption, either by repairing leaks or limiting the amounts households used every year.
water damage n.
ΚΠ
1785 To Landowners & Traders Counties Worcester & Gloucester 2 To implore Improvement, to prevent the constant Damage sustained by Pilfering, Waste, Perishing, and various Water-damage by Merchandize being detained upon that River.
1835 Canton Reg. 17 Nov. 183/1 The tea that is sent down to the ships will be entirely free from water-damage.
1936 Amer. Home Feb. 68/3 (advt.) The..non-overflow control removes the threat of messiness and possible water damage to floors, ceilings and furnishings.
2012 Church Times 7 Dec. 8/3 In view of the urgency of the situation and the likelihood of further water damage,..the fabric committee made a contract for the work to be done.
water dress n. now rare
ΚΠ
1789 W. Hutton Descr. Blackpool 42 A few [bathers] travel from their apartments in their water dress.
1862 Atlantis 3 219 And then Brian put on his water dress..and he made a water leap; and it is said that he was for a fortnight walking in the salt water seeking the Island of Fianchairé.
1906 National Cycl. Amer. Biogr. XIII. 422/2 His [sc. Leonard Norcross's] greatest invention was the diving suit or ‘water dress’, as he called it, patented June 14, 1834.
water drip n.
ΚΠ
1830 Tales Our Counties I. ii. ii. 228 They heard the water-drip along the aisles.
1876 ‘M. Twain’ Adventures Tom Sawyer xxxiii. 260 It was the treasure box..occupying a snug little cavern, along with..some..rubbish well-soaked with the water-drip.
1920 J. Masefield Enslaved 34 The melancholy water-drip alone Broke silence near me.
2003 M. T. Adams Chasing Birds across Texas xi. 96 A small pond created by a water drip.
water dripping n.
ΚΠ
1867 Athenæum 5 Oct. 537/3 A similar plan has already been proposed by Sir William Thomson with a waterdripping arrangement, but the mechanical contrivance is in all ways preferable.
1882 Bull. Nuttall Ornithol. Club 7 237 The Montagne Indians call it [sc. Richardson's owl] pillip-pile-tshish, which means ‘water-dripping bird’.
1898 E. T. Seton Wild Animals I have Known 190 It was the ‘water-dripping’ song of the saw-whet owl.
1922 T. S. Eliot Waste Land (1923) 33 The hermit-thrush..Its ‘water-dripping song’ is justly celebrated.
1926 Lebanon (Pa.) Daily News 12 June 7 (advt.) Electric refrigeration... Eliminates the water-dripping nuisance, and the work and bother of carrying ice.
1973 Jrnl. Physics D 6 966 A corona-type discharge was found to occur wherever water dripping was present.
water droplet n.
ΚΠ
1867 Philos. Mag. Oct. 281 In the lower layers of the atmosphere a number of fine corpuscles are suspended; it is immaterial whether they be solid..or liquid (water droplets or extremely minute water vesicles).
1920 Jrnl. Dairy Sci. 3 105 Small water droplets give the butter an opaque, whitish appearance.
2000 U.S. News & World Rep. 24 Apr. 67/2 Soon after our group entered, a water droplet fell on my reporter's notebook. The guide called it a ‘cave kiss’.
water filtration n.
ΚΠ
1849 Freeman's Jrnl. (Dublin) 19 July 4/3 The filter..has some features in common with Brande's apparatus for filtering acids. But the adaption of the principle to water filtration is quite original.
1930 Pop. Mech. Nov. 167 (advt.) Scientists have proven that water filtration prevents such diseases as Typhoid Fever, erysipelas, pyaemia, septicaemia, and puerperal fever.
2002 Customizing your Home (Black & Decker) 61/2 Ensure the water your family uses..is pure and great tasting by installing a water filtration system.
water flow n.
ΚΠ
1652 W. Blith Eng. Improver Improved 151 The Leaves of Trees laid together, or cast into some High-way, or Water-flows, or mingled with other Soyles, will make very good Compost also.
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. xv. 158 A striated face, whose scratches still indicated the line of water-flow.
1887 Essex Weekly News 11 Mar. 7/1 A small brick archway..which crosses a waterflow known as the Puddle Dyke.
1990 C. S. Tucker & E. H. Robinson Channel Catfish Farming Handbk. vii. 156 To reduce ammonia levels in rearing troughs, the fry density can be reduced or the water flow can be increased.
water hose n.
ΚΠ
1789 For Sale by Candle: Greyhound Packet (Thomas & Alexander Hubbert (Shipbrokers: London)) 2 Cooper's Stores... 1 water hose.
1876 J. J. Rowan Emigrant & Sportsman in Canada ii. 61 Fancy the English boy of ten in uncontrolled possession of a water hose!
1930 Motor Boating July 80/2 By loosening the set screw and disconnecting the water hose, the pump can be quickly lifted out.
2012 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 26 Feb. (Travel section) 6/1 When the old elegant Hotel Olivia on the Mexican side caught fire..water hoses were tossed over the fence by the fire brigade in Arizona to help the local bomberos put it out.
water intake n.
ΚΠ
1868 Minutes of Evid. Select Comm. Lee River Conservancy Bill 71 in Parl. Papers 1867–8 (H.C. 307) XI. 383 That [part of the river] is considerably below any water intake, is it not?
1927 R. Rodd Homer's Ithaca 23 One [motor]..remained obstinately out of action; the water-intake..being choked with fine seaweed.
1946 A. Nelson Princ. Agric. Bot. xxiii. 458 The living roots die or are narcotized in these circumstances, and water intake is considerably affected.
2005 Independent 27 July 36/2 Zebra mussels..cause great economic damage by blocking the water intakes of power stations.
water leak n.
ΚΠ
1814 Emporium Arts & Sci. Apr. 474 In which it is not easy, always to guard against steam leaks, and water leaks.
a1944 K. Douglas Alamein to Zem Zem (1946) 52 Few Crusader tanks would run for more than two days in action without developing either an oil-leak or a water-leak.
2005 New Yorker 12 Sept. 40/1 My husband..prepared the attic with tarps and Visqueen in the hope of directing water leaks through the old slate roof into a copper cistern.
water mist n.
ΚΠ
1820 W. Scott Abbot III. ii. 58 There is scarce any place even for a tolerable garden, and..the water-mists, as I am told, blight all the early blossoms.
1869 Aunt Judy's Mag. June 83 The branches of the wood were hidden in the water-mist.
1928 E. Blunden Undertones of War ix. 98 Ahead, the German front line could not be clearly seen, the water-mist and the smoke veiling it.
2004 New Yorker 6 Dec. 85/1 He made his patients sleep each night in a plastic tent filled with a continuous, aerosolized water mist so dense you could barely see through it.
water molecule n.
ΚΠ
1841 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 18 267 It has to resist the tendency of the water molecules to unite themselves in a drop.
1935 Times 30 Jan. 9/6 They found..that the average time a water molecule spends in the body is about 13 days.
2009 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) Mar. 54/2 Electricity..can be used to break up water molecules into their hydrogen and oxygen components.
water-plash n. [plash n.1]
ΚΠ
1585 J. Higgins tr. Junius Nomenclator 401/2 Torrens,..a water plash.
1613 W. Browne Britannia's Pastorals I. v. 103 Through the Quagmires, and red water plashes, The Boyes runne dabling thorow thicke and thin.
1635 L. Foxe North-west Fox sig. Lv It was barren land, having nothing thereon but water plashes, and torne Rockes.
1830 J. P. Martin Narr. Adventures Revolutionary Soldier 58 We entered a lane fenced on either side with rails, in which was a water plash, or puddle.
1990 B. Breytenbach All One Horse 66 Rain once more comes down in grey strips to destroy the reflection in the water-plashes.
water pollution n.
ΚΠ
1855 Critic 15 Jan. 51/2 Whenever and wherever the cholera has raged fatally and extensively, then and there its history and its origin are assiduously traced to water-pollution.
1950 G. J. Miller in G.-H. Smith Conservation Nat. Resources viii. 156 Drainage is essential, not only for agriculture but also to prevent water pollution.
2004 Hoosier Times (Bloomington, Indiana) 5 Sept. (Herald-Times ed.) a1/3 The fish are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to monitoring water pollution.
water quality n.
ΚΠ
1898 J. W. Hill Purification of Public Water Supplies xi. 180 Very careful investigation of the water quality and environment of the source should be made before such water is adopted for drinking and dietetic purposes.
1957 Amer. Bar Assoc. Jrnl. Mar. 288/3 (advt.) Consulting Biologists—Pollution Effects and Water Quality, fresh and saltwater. Investigations, Reports, Court Testimony.
2008 Independent 7 Apr. 13/2 Seahorses have been found..in the river Thames, a development that scientists believe is testament to the river's improved water quality over recent decades.
water retention n.
ΚΠ
1855 J. Scoffern in Orr's Circle Sci.: Elem. Chem. 465 Before adopting lead to the purposes of water retention, it is well to try the effect of steeping lead in a portion of the water during some days.
1908 Med. Standard May 282/1 Excessive salt..causes not only water retention, but increases osmotic pressure of blood.
1988 V. Bramwell Woman Bk. Beauty & Health ii. 17 Too heavy moisturising can clog pores and lead to water retention and puffiness.
2001 Financial Times 27 Jan. (Property Suppl.) 6/1 Rebuilding the traditional drystone terrace walls will help water retention and tree growth.
water ripple n.
ΚΠ
1928 E. Sitwell Five Poems 4 The water-ripples like mosaics gold.
2011 E. S. Fernandez Burning Center, Porous Borders 237 I..learned how to watch for signs of freshwater clams by observing the water ripples that their breathing made.
water safety n.
ΚΠ
1916 Berkeley (Calif.) Daily Gaz. 26 May 3/3 In accordance with its national campaign for water safety, the American Red Cross has sent its field agent..to the Pacific Coast for several months to instruct the work.
1986 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Rep. 10 Oct. 637 Water safety instruction should be designed to lead to improvements in swimming ability, discourage risk-taking behavior..near water, [etc.].
2011 L. Rubenser & G. Priddy Constables, Marshals, & More xiii. 131 Game wardens are involved in water safety, public education programs, Homeland Security programs, and court duties.
water storage n.
ΚΠ
1850 Newcastle Courant 4 Oct. i. 2/6 We have a water storage for Liverpool about fifteen times as great as that of Newcastle.
1890 A. R. Wallace Darwinism (new ed.) 23 The absence of rivers or water-storage.
2013 K. K. White Amer. goes Green I. 308 Dams have long been constructed for the myriad benefits they provide: flood control, water storage, [etc.].
water supply n.
ΚΠ
1805 Morning Post 7 May Mr. Lee moved the second reading of the Irish Market Town Water Supply Bill.
1849 J. Simon City Medical Rep. No. 1 in E. R. Pike Human Documents of Victorian Golden Age (1967) 280 It may be doubted, too, whether..the tenants' water supply can be pronounced good.
1885 Weekly Notes 28 Mar. 67/2 The house had become uninhabitable through failure of the water-supply.
1944 Living off Land: Man. Bushcraft iii. 47 One of the main water supplies of the aborigines came from tree roots.
2008 Guardian 12 Nov. 3/5 Highly toxic nanosilver will inevitably get into the water supply when sports garments incorporating silver nanoparticles are washed.
waterworld n.
ΚΠ
1607 R. Wilkinson Merchant Royall 10 As if to bee in a ship were to be in another earth, the water-world.
1818 J. Keats Endymion iii. 110 Thou hast sent A moon-beam to the deep, deep water-world, To find Endymion.
1954 J. Betjeman Few Late Chrysanthemums 66 Back into what a water-world Of waving weed and waiting claws?
2005 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 1 Sept. a15/1 New Orleans..was a nightmarish waterworld that Mr. Nagin said would have to be abandoned while the levees are repaired and the city is drained.
water worship n.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > kinds of worship > [noun] > of water
water worship1771
1771 A. Meagher Popish Mass Celebrated 51 The Romanists have..their Angel-worship, Saint-worship, Image-worship, Water-worship, Oil-worship, Relic-worship, Tomb-worship, Well-worship, &c. &c.
1871 E. B. Tylor Primitive Culture II. xv. 192 Africa displays well the rites of water-worship.
1955 Harvard Jrnl. Asiatic Stud. 18 362 Mention is made of the ‘water worship’ of the Turks.
2007 Iran & Caucasus 11 172 There was a sanctuary dedicated to the Babylonian goddess Ištar and associated with water worship.
C2. In specific attributive applications. See also Compounds 8 – Compounds 11.
a.
(a) Designating a container in which water is held or kept, as water bucket, water flask, water tub, etc. See also water bottle n., water butt n., water glass n., etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > vessel > flask, flagon, or bottle > [noun] > leather > for water
waterskinOE
mussuck1610
waterskin1752
pakhali1781
girba1790
pakhal1842
chagal1909
OE West Saxon Gospels: Mark (Corpus Cambr.) xiv. 13 Inc agen yrnð sum man berende sume wæterflaxan; Folgiað him.
OE West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) ii. 6 Þær wæron soðlice aset six stænene wæterfatu [L. hydriae] æfter Iudea geclænsunge.
OE Wærferð tr. Gregory Dialogues (Corpus Cambr.) (1900) i. i. 11 Sona swa hit þæt wæter hlod, þa becom an fisc in þone wæterstoppan.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 14411 Þa sexe waterr fetless. Þatt stodenn wiþþ þatt waterr þær.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 183 In a waterstene [L. in hydria aquatica].
1391 in L. T. Smith Exped. Prussia & Holy Land Earl Derby (1894) 74 Pro portagio de watertonnes vsque manerium Episcopi.
1420 Foreign Accts. 3 Henry VI (Public Rec. Office) G/2 j Waterbaille..vj Water-scoupes.
1477–9 in H. Littlehales Medieval Rec. London City Church (1905) 82 (MED) For a watir payle, iij d.
1487–8 in J. T. Fowler Extracts Acct. Rolls Abbey of Durham (1901) III. 651 Pro 1 fatt et 1 watersay.
1533 MS Rawlinson D. 776 f. 136 b ij flatt hooppis..for the water Tubbe.
1552 in W. Page Inventories Church Goods York, Durham & Northumberland (1897) 66 ij watter bokettes of latyne.
1553 J. Withals Shorte Dict. f. 48/2 A water tankard, cadus aquarius.
1613 W. Browne Britannia's Pastorals I. ii. 31 And for the Maide that had perform'd each thing She in the Water-payle bad leaue a Ring.
1615 E. S. Britaines Busse B Two water-skeits, to wet the sailes.
1725 G. Smith Compl. Body Distilling 64 It will be necessary also to have a..Water-tub set upon a strong frame.
1845 Provinc. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 3 Dec. 708/1 The same [wheel] which is used for winding up the water-tin in an old-fashioned shower bath.
1853 J. D. H. Dale tr. G. Baldeschi Ceremonial Rom. Rite 93 The Subdeacon elevates a little the water-cruet towards the Bishop.
1864 J. A. Grant Walk across Afr. 430 Here there is a bend in the Nile, and we were able to fill all our water-sacks afresh.
1869 R. Browning Ring & Bk. III. ix. 178 Clouted shoon, staff, scrip and water-gourd.
1885 J. Ruskin Præterita I. iii. 106 I went head foremost into the large water-tub kept for the garden.
1920 Punch 28 Jan. 65/1 The Major..set the ladies souveniring among old water-tin stoppers, which he alleged to be the plugs of hand-grenades.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xv. [Circe] 473 A man..passes..hugging a full waterjugjar.
1926 D. H. Lawrence David xiv. 106 Here is the pouch and the water-flask.
1976 B. Gaddis How to repair Home Laundry Appliances v. 136 The tub components of a typical automatic washer consists of the main water tub, the spin basket and seal and gaskets.
2008 N.Y. Times Mag. 12 Oct. 98/2 I do duck into Wal-Mart now and then to get Chinese-made plastic water buckets.
(b)
water barrel n.
ΚΠ
1605 in M. Cash Devon Inventories 16th & 17th Cent. (1966) 20 A peare of silver Crookes..more two Chestes... More a peare of water barrells.
1743 J. Bulkeley & J. Cummins Voy. to South-seas 122 This Raft was made with Oars and Water Barrels.
1811 R. Salter Mod. Angler ii. 10 A far better method of conveyance for storing water, than in a water barrel.
1889 Colliery Engineer June 241/2 The author..decided to fill the water-barrel by means of a vacuum, making it air-tight at the top, and providing it with a valve opening inwards at the bottom.
1993 R. Nugent Drums along Congo 87 Simple brick houses with galvanized roofs and gutters feeding into water barrels.
water bowl n.
ΚΠ
1594 T. Blundeville Exercises iii. i. xxvi. f. 159v The Water-serpent which..kept the water-bowle, and would not suffer the thirstie Crowe to drinke.
1697 tr. D. P. E. Hist. Amours Marshal de Boufflers 197 It was my Master's Ape, that in running after me, overthrew the Water-bowl.
1848 tr. C. von Schmid Redbreast 16 The bird..snapped up the flies about the room..and washed himself in the water bowl.
1960 J. R. Ackerley We think World of You 89 On the floor was Evie's water-bowl and the vegetable remains of her dinner of yesterday.
1998 H. M. Malton Down in Dumps xiv. 121 I picked up the water bowl and filled it at the outside tap.
water dish n.
ΚΠ
1780 Catal. Effects G. B. Tyndale 3 An oval water dish.
1858 Jrnl. Photogr. Soc. 22 Nov. 72/2 A plate is..coated and sensitized..and is put, film upwards, in the first water-dish.
1908 Poultry Keeper May 83/1 The water dish should attract the chicks, yet be so made as to keep them from getting wet.
1994 L. Fondation Angry Nights 18 It was Richie's idea to put vodka in the dog's water dish.
water jar n.
ΚΠ
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 116 Musk-Rats..infest the Houses and Water-Jars with their Scent.
1727 A. Hamilton New Acct. E. Indies I. xiii. 155 They ordered the Jougies to remove their great Water Jar.
1868 W. Morris Earthly Paradise 536 Girls, sent their water-jars to fill, Would come back pale, too terrified to cry.
1999 A. Desai Fasting, Feasting (2000) iii. 25 She slipped into the sandals she had left behind the water jar on the veranda outside the kitchen.
water jug n.
ΚΠ
1749 J. Mair Book-keeping Methodiz'd (ed. 3) 260 1 Meal sifter..and a Water-jug.
1807 R. Southey Lett. from Eng. I. xiv. 161 A compact kind of chest holds the bason, the soap, the tooth brush, and water glass... The water-jug and water-bottle stand below.
1958 Nursing (St. John Ambulance Assoc.) ii. 19 See that any water-jug, glass or fruit-plate on the patient's table is absolutely clean and is kept covered.
2003 A. Swofford Jarhead 163 The man in charge of handing out five-gallon water jugs and rolls of shit paper.
waterskin n. [skin n. 4a]
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > vessel > flask, flagon, or bottle > [noun] > leather > for water
waterskinOE
mussuck1610
waterskin1752
pakhali1781
girba1790
pakhal1842
chagal1909
1752 H. ap D. Price Genuine Acct. Life & Trans. 100 The Water-Skins were broached, for a little of that Element to refresh us with.
1821 G. F. Lyon Narr. Trav. N. Afr. 33 Our road was through very difficult passes in the mountains, where we found some rain water, with which we filled our gerbas, or water-skins, with a sufficient supply for three days.
1867 M. E. Herbert Cradle Lands i. 8 Picturesque water-carriers with their water-skins.
1996 R. Mistry Fine Balance (1997) iii. 95 The hide..was turned into sandals, whips, harnesses, and waterskins.
water tank n.
ΚΠ
1762 Def. United Co. Merchants Eng. against Complaints Dutch E.-India Co. 62/2 One may easily come from the South along the West Side..by a Way that is between a little Channel that runs into a great Water Tank.
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple III. iii. 41 I..set my first lieutenant to work getting in the ballast and water-tanks.
1894 Outing June 172 Four or five rough-looking men..were clustered about the water-tank.
1974 D. Sears Lark in Clear Air i. 20 We stopped at every gopher-hole and water-tank and badger-hill.
2010 Ideal Home May 188/2 Steam generators have a separate water tank that holds around three times as much water as a normal iron.
water trough n.
ΚΠ
eOE Cleopatra Gloss. in J. J. Quinn Minor Lat.-Old Eng. Glossaries in MS Cotton Cleopatra A.III (Ph.D. diss., Stanford Univ.) (1956) 90 Lagenam, watertrog [perh. mistakenly for watercrog].
1459–60 in J. T. Fowler Extracts Acct. Rolls Abbey of Durham (1898) I. 152 (MED) Cum opere carpentr. fact. circa molendinum de Shyncliff et lez Watertrowe.
1667 in J. Pettus Fodinæ Regales (1670) 35 One new large Water-wheel with Water-troughs.
1773 Exhib. Royal Acad. 30 A horse tied to a water-trough, in a Farm-yard.
1857 Harper's Mag. Dec. 85/1 It was approached through a puddle, the over-runnings of a neighboring water-trough.
1970 J. H. B. Peel Country Talk vi. 111 Water-troughs in far fields were tepid.
1995 Sunday Sun (Baltimore) 26 Feb. f3/2 Our last iced-up pipes thawed and all the water troughs were usable once again.
b. Designating a source of water or other facility for the storage or distribution of water in large quantities, as water ditch, water station, water well, etc. See also water pit n.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > lifting or hoisting equipment > [noun] > for raising water > system of
waterOE
waterwork1437
gravity water system1940
OE Laws of Cnut (Nero) ii. v. §1. 312 Hæðenscipe byð, þæt..man weorþige hæðene godas & sunnan oððe monan, fyr oððe flod, wæterwyllas oððe stanas.
OE tr. Felix St. Guthlac (Vesp.) (1909) iv. 118 Þa wæs þær on oþre sidan þæs hlawas gedolfen swylce mycel wæterseað wære; on þam seaðe ufan se eadiga wer Guthlac him hus getimbrode.
1301 in W. Boys Coll. Hist. Sandwich (1792) 538 Sciendum est eciam, quod aqua communis, que vocatur waterdelf..est tocius communitatis.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Josh. xviii. C The south border is from Kiriath-Iearim forth, and goeth out towarde the west, and commeth forth vnto ye water well of Nepthoah.
1597 J. Gerard Herball i. 27 Water Gladiole groweth in standing pooles, motes, and water ditches.
a1609 F. Vere Commentaries (1657) 124 This field I entrenched taking the water-ditch to advantage.
1735 in Trans. Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archæol. Soc. (N.S.) 20 172 Taking water for the use of their families out of the water ditch in the said meadow.
1840 H. S. Tanner Canals & Rail Roads U.S. 263 Water stations, places where locomotives obtain their supplies of water.
1921 Rev. of Reviews Aug. 157/2 Hardships of desert travelling, when great gulfs of distance lie between one water well and another.
1992 K. S. Robinson Red Mars vii. 418 The water station north of town had gone up in an explosion.
2012 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 8 Mar. 13/4 How much damage is being done to water wells..from methane migration and the chemicals mixed with water and then injected into fracking wells under high pressure?
c.
(a) Designating a body of (esp. running) water. See also water flood n., water stream n., etc.New formations in this sense are now less common.
ΚΠ
OE Judgement Day II 3 Ic ana sæt innan bearwe.., þær þa wæterburnan swegdon and urnon on middan gehæge.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. xxxvii. 25 I driede with þe step of my foot alle þe ryueres of þe waterhepis [L. omnes rivos aggerum].
?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 288 (MED) Sir James of Beauchamp..may not stand; In a water stampe he was dronkled fleand.
a1450 Desert of Relig. (BL Add.) l. 84 in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1911) 126 60/2 (MED) Þe ryghtwys is als a tre þat standes Be-syde þe course of þe water-strandes.
1473 in C. Rogers Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 189 Waterstankis..of sic depnes that ged eyls and fyscis..ma be..kepit.
1610 R. Vaughan Most Approved Water-workes (title page) The manner of Winter and Summer-drowning of Medow and Pasture, by the aduantage of the least, Riuer, Brooke, Fount, or Water-prill adiacent.
1841 C. G. Teichelmann Aborigines S. Austral. 8 The dark spots..are water lagoons, in which monsters called yura are living.
1866 E. C. Downs Four Years Scout & Spy v. 67 He went right through our corn-field, and out at the water-gulch under the fence.
1967 N. Leader Hungarian Classical Ballads iii. 27 Now there is only a water-brooklet there.
(b)
† water brim n. [brim n.1] Obsolete
ΚΠ
c1390 MS Vernon Homilies in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1877) 57 289 Þis hermyt sat by a water brimme And saih twey sely fissches swimme.
a1475 Sidrak & Bokkus (Lansd.) (1999) II. l. 10957 Were a man by a water brymme Þat depe were.
1577 J. Grange Golden Aphroditis sig. P.ijv When first I fall into the water brimme: With streakyng armes and eke with playing feete, My parte I play the water flouddes to grete.
water brook n.
ΚΠ
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms xli[i]. 1 Like as the hert desyreth the water brokes.
1759 Mod. Part Universal Hist. XI. xiv. xii. 275 Some travellers even describe them [sc. New Holland and New Guinea] as abounding with..pleasant and wholsome water-brooks.
1841 ‘An Indian Officer’ Society in India I. xx. 207 England, for which..his soul panted even as the hart for the waterbrooks.
1878 Pop. Sci. Monthly Nov. 99 The cool water-brooks which traverse the slopes.
1962 Contemp. Rev. Sept. 134 My realm of summer is become a realm Of fields be-rimed and waterbrooks in spate.
1988 E. Friberg tr. Kalevala xxi. 182/2 It flowed on like a river, Sparkling like a water brook.
waterpond n.
ΚΠ
a1576 Bp. J. Pilkington Godlie Expos. Nehemiah (1585) (ii. 13) f. 27 There was great plentie of water-ponds, watering-places &c.
1848 G. C. Furber Twelve Months Volunteer 186 Nine miles further brought us to the water ponds near the battle field of ‘Palo Alto’.
1985 G. Ehrlich Solace Open Spaces 88 Out across the Basin chips of light on waterponds mirrored the storm that passed us.
2003 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 26 Apr. (Domain section) 9 The house features internal and external courtyards, with waterponds and waterfalls.
water pool n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > lake > pool > [noun]
pooleOE
seathc950
lakea1000
flosha1300
stanga1300
weira1300
water poolc1325
carrc1330
stamp1338
stank1338
ponda1387
flashc1440
stagnec1470
peel?a1500
sole15..
danka1522
linn1577
sound1581
flake1598
still1681
slew1708
splash1760
watering hole1776
vlei1793
jheel1805
slougha1817
sipe1825
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 2773 (MED) Let delue vnder þe foundement & me ssal bineþe finde A water pol þat aþ ymad.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Macc. ix. 33 Ionathas and Symon his brother..pitched their tentes by the water pole of Asphar.
1688 Tryal Philip Standsfield 4 He declared that he had been seeking him about the Water-pools.
1849 T. Carlyle New Lett. (1904) II. 72 Eternal Silence of the mountains and their melancholy water-pools.
1913 Blackwood's Mag. Nov. 592/1 We stopped to ask the latest news of tribes and water-pools.
2012 Times of Oman (Nexis) 11 July The wadi is famous for its lush green oases, water pools and deep canyons.
d. Belonging to or involving a body of water (cf. sense 11), or to water as a physiographical feature, as water edge, water scene, etc. See also waterfront n. 1, waterside n. 1, etc.In some (esp. early) uses the first element has the sense ‘of the body of water specified by the context’.
ΚΠ
OE Paris Psalter (1932) cvi. 23 Hi drihtnes weorc digul gesawon and his wundra wearn on wætergrundum.
a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) 244 Alle ðe oðre cumen mide &..Beren him of ðat water-grund Up to ðe lond al heil & sund.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) i. l. 1169 Whan the blake wynter nyht..Bederked hath the water Stronde.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 4779 (MED) Iacob yode walcand be þe nile; He sagh a-pon þe watur reme Caf flettand dunward [with] þe strem.
1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos v. sig. M.iv Upon this water shore to you myne altars wyll I make.
1609 P. Erondelle tr. M. Lescarbot Noua Francia 85 Woods very thicke on the water shoares.
1690 R. Strutton True Relation Cruelties French 52/1 When they have all their Men, and other Provisions aboard, they will be so deep, not above Two Foot from the Water edge in the Midships.
1787 A. Young Jrnl. 8 June in Trav. France (1792) i. 17 The water-scenes from the town itself..are delicious.
1799 J. Robertson Gen. View Agric. Perth 454 Chains of lakes, finely wooded down to the water-edge.
1813 R. Southey Life Nelson I. 19 It could not be possible to get the boats to the water edge before the fourteenth.
1826 W. Cobbett Rural Rides in Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 4 Nov. 331 To those who like water-scenes..it is the prettiest spot..in all England.
1854 ‘G. Greenwood’ Haps & Mishaps 10 Seaforth Hall, an elegant seaside residence..Here I saw a pleasant water-view.
1865 London Rev. 30 Dec. 686/2 As the fisher saw the buried city in the waterdepths.
1917 Bull. Univ. Illinois: Water Surv. Series No. 14. 33 The banks for the most part are either mud or sod with trees growing to the water edge in some places.
1969 F. Herbert Dune Messiah in Galaxy Mag. Nov. 154/1 Kangaroo mice inhabited the grass at the water verge.
2004 H. Isham Image of Sea ii. 86 Sunrise, with a Boat between Headlands..is similar to his famous water scene Norham Castle.
e. Situated or built on or beside water, as water castle, water frontage, water steps, etc. See also water bridge n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > other means of passage or access > [noun] > bridge > over water
watereOE
water bridge1445
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > buoys, marks, or lighthouses > [noun] > object on land or sea as guide > beacon > types of
watereOE
Jack in the Basket1710
balize1847
beacon-bell1862
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > other means of passage or access > [noun] > flight of steps > leading to riverside
ghat1783
water steps1839
eOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Parker) anno 893 He gewicode betwuh þæm twam hergum þær þær he niehst rymet hæfde for wudufæstenne ond for wæterfæstenne.
1603 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 499/1 Lie girs of the watter bray.
1608 G. Markham & L. Machin Dumbe Knight i. sig. B3 Why Orators wiues shortly will bee knowne like images on water staires, euer in one wetherbeaten suite.
1623 in Quarter Sessions Rec. (N. Riding Rec. Soc.) (1884) II. 10 None ys to repare any water Beakon but such as is subject to the Admirald Courte.
1670 J. Milton Hist. Brit. vi. 255 A third excursion they [sc. the Danes] made..and..return'd..like wild Beasts or rather Sea-Monsters to thir Water-stables.
1671 J. Ogilby tr. A. Montanus Remarkable Addr. 420 Opposite to Pyenes appears a Water-Castle, built on a Promontory... By this Water-Castle no Ships must pass, before they pay Custom to the City.
1751 C. Labelye Descr. Westm. Bridge 18 Every Pier, Abutments, and Water-Stairs.
1780 P. Firmin View Present State Dutch Settlements 28 Batavia, had formerly a floating water castle, which is now almost sunk.
1837 H. Martineau Society in Amer. II. 23 The land is divided into long, narrow strips, that each lot may have a water frontage.
1839 Daily National Intelligencer (Washington) 21 Oct. We are now arrived at the water-steps of the temple, by which devotees used to ascend to worship at the shrine within.
1878 E. W. Clark Life & Adventure Japan vii. 136 He strolls along the water-quay and looks out towards those leviathan steamers.
1899 R. Barr Countess Tekla iii. 37 The boatman..propelled the skiff through the water-doorway.
1903 R. Kipling Explorer in Five Nations 51 I..Counted leagues of water-frontage through the axe-ripe woods that screen 'em.
1906 S. R. Crockett White Plumes xviii. 133 Cautiously..Madame Granier had peered through the thick grille of the water-door before admitting the Professor.
1920 T. S. Eliot Ara Vos Prec 15 Princess Volupine extends A meagre, blue-nailed, phthisic hand to climb the waterstair.
1965 J. A. Michener Source (1966) 739 Under no circumstances shall Jews be allowed to acquire land with water frontage.
1996 N. O'Faolain Are you Somebody? (1998) viii. 96 We..left my father off at the water-steps at Butt Bridge, beside the Evening Press.
2007 Sunday Tribune (Ireland) (Nexis) 20 May (Property section) 6 The town of Trakai has Eastern Europe's only water castle, built in the middle of a lake in the 14th Century.
f.
(a) Designating a channel in which water runs, or any structure or device for facilitating or controlling its flow, as water channel, water-dam, water valve, etc. See also water cock n. 1, watercourse n., water-furrow n., etc.
ΚΠ
eOE Corpus Gloss. (1890) 27/2 Canalibus, waeterðruum.
OE Aldhelm Glosses (Brussels 1650) in L. Goossens Old Eng. Glosses of MS Brussels, Royal Libr. 1650 (1974) 186 Aquę ductuum : canalium, tiga, wætertige.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 11942 Þe water wissing can he ditt, þat water to þe lak broght.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 42 Thay lay in the furdes and waterdames.
1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence Phormio iv. iv, in Terence in Eng. 432 A snake fel from the tyles through the water gutter.
1600 J. Pory tr. J. Leo Africanus Geogr. Hist. Afr. iii. 113 So soone as the said water-conduct was deriued vnto the Towne, he caused it to be diuided.
1610 in Quarter Sessions Rec. (N. Riding Rec. Soc.) (1884) I. 200 Tho. Skarth of Carlton in Cleveland, theldest, [presented] for stopping of the water-sewer upon the West Shortflatt.
1658 G. Atwell Faithfull Surveyour xxxi. 95 The water-squirt, which will throw a whole hogs-head of water to the top of an house at once.
1762 Def. United Co. Merchants Eng. against Complaints Dutch E.-India Co. 62/2 The Way between the said Fort and the great Water Channel situated on the South, is about the Distance of a large Cannon Shot.
1764 Museum Rusticum 2 234 To bestow a watering on my fields, by means of water-trunks, immediately after my first crop of hay is got off.
1862 E. Hodder Mem. N.Z. Life 117 We were glad to..lie down closely together in one of the dry water-cuttings.
1902 C. J. Cornish Naturalist on Thames 9 Down every ditch, runnel, and water-cut, the turbid waters were hurrying.
1936 V. C. Smith tr. W. Röpke Crises & Cycles iv. 88 It makes really no difference whether the unused capacity..is used for slum-clearance at home or for building a water-dam in Tibet.
1979 N. Wallington Fireman! x. 119 At the beginning of the seventeenth century..hand-held water squirts first appeared.
1990 W. A. Livesey GCSE Motor Vehicle Stud. vi. 59/1 The thermostat is a temperature-operated water valve. It is fitted between the top of the engine and the top hose.
2003 Archaeology Jan. 26/2 A route of collapsed water channels and ruined bridges that snakes some 150 miles from the western Turkish city of Vize to Istanbul.
(b)
water conduit n. [originally after classical Latin aquaeductus aqueduct n.]
ΚΠ
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) 3 Kings xviii. 38 Þe fijr of þe lord fil & uowrede þe brente sacrifice..& þe watir þat was in þe watir condute [a1425 Corpus Oxf. water cundid; L.V. leding of water; L. aquaeductu] lickynge.
1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. 1186/1 Not forgetting to make a water-conduit for the ease of washing.
a1636 T. Westcote View Devonshire 1630 (1845) 139 The umbril of the city where standeth a great water conduit.
1807 J. Naismith Elem. Agric. ii. ii. 323 Those sods should be laid..with the face downward, leaving the water conduit below them.
2008 tr. N. Aping Final Film Laurel & Hardy iv. 65 Stan, Ollie, Antoine and Giovanni keep running, using a wooden water conduit as a slide.
water faucet n.
ΚΠ
1847 H. Melville Omoo xxix. 112 A thin, sour wine—the juice of a few grapes, perhaps, to a pint of the juice of water-facets [sic].
1931 Pop. Sci. Monthly Oct. 27 A new ball valve for water faucets serves as an automatic shut-off.
2011 M. Child Ready for King's Seduction vi. 84 Flipping the water faucet on, she was grateful for the rush of water into the sink.
water main n.
ΚΠ
1776 Act 15 & 16 Geo. III c. 24 §1 in Statutes at Large, Ireland (1782) X. 796 It would tend to the health, safety, and convenience of the inhabitants of the said city, if the owner or occupier of every house..should be obliged to take a leaden branch from the water mains to supply such house respectively.
1803 W. Tatham Rep. Impediments Thames 71 At this place there is a water-main which crosses over to the Middlesex shore.
1894 Times 12 July 14/1 The stopcock..was placed in the service pipe leading from the water main into the adjoining house.
2011 Daily Tel. 19 July 3/3 Homes in Liverpool were evacuated yesterday when a water main burst, sending a column of spray 40ft into the air and flooding roads.
water-run n. now rare
ΚΠ
1761 State Process W. Gray against Ld. Kinnaird 5 To assist him in cleaning, casting and redding, the Water-run or Aqueduct in question.
1813 W. Scott Bridal of Triermain iii. xxviii. 175 When lo! a plashing sound he hears, A gladsome signal that he nears Some frolic water-run.
1908 J. O. Curwood Courage Capt. Plum i. 6 [He] walked along the narrow water-run that crept like a white ribbon between the lake and the island wilderness.
water tap n.
ΚΠ
1822 J. Drakard Hist. Stamford 612 In each of the yards there is a privy sunk about six feet below the surface of the yard floor, a water tap, and a drain for carrying off the superfluous water.
1939 G. Greene Lawless Roads xi. 272 The odious child takes all the paper cups from the water-tap by the lavatory.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 7 Sept. a4/2 The hovels, however dilapidated, have electricity inside and a water tap and flush toilet nearby.
g.
(a) Designating a mythical or imaginary being that lives in, or rules or has power over, water, as water demon, water devil, water elf, water fairy, water ghost, water wraith, etc. See also water bull n. at Compounds 8c, water horse n. 3, water nymph n. 1, water spirit n. (b) at Compounds 7, etc.
ΚΠ
eOE Cleopatra Gloss. in W. G. Stryker Lat.-Old Eng. Gloss. in MS Cotton Cleopatra A.III (Ph.D. diss., Stanford Univ.) (1951) 331 Nymfæ, wæterælfenne.
a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) i. l. 5589 A water goddesse, that callid was Echcho, Loued hym ful hoote for his gret fairnesse.
1583 R. Robinson tr. Aunc. Order Prince Arthure sig. L Salmasis Dianas nymph (but water fairy) went Oft times vnto a certaine poole.
a1625 J. Fletcher Chances iv. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Bbb4/2 Get me a conjurer, One that can raise a water devill.
1637 T. Heywood Pleasant Dialogues & Dramma's 160 The blew vein'd Norae, And green hair'd Dorides with all their brats, Styl'd by the names of water goddesses.
1755 R. Forbes Jrnl. London to Portsmouth in tr. Ovid Ajax his Speech (new ed.) 30 You wou'd hae taen me for a water-wreath, or some gruous ghaist.
1781 J. Logan Poems 5 Thrice did the water-wraith ascend, And gave a doleful groan thro' Yarrow.
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe II. xi. 184 A water-fiend hath possessed the fair Saxon.
1845 Dublin Univ. Mag. July 40 One who..winds her viewless ways To her crystal halls in the silent seas, among the Water-fays.
1871 E. B. Tylor Primitive Culture II. xv. 191 In Australia, special water-demons infest pools and watering-places.
1878 O. Wilde Ravenna 5 And down the river, like a flame of blue, Keen as an arrow flies the water-king.
1925 E. Blunden Eng. Poems 90 The water-shapes steal towards his gonging drone.
1928 Oxf. Poetry 10 Many strong men had passed the ford, nor known the presence of that jeering water-ghost Denying their true conquest of the stream.
1978 J. A. Maxwell America's Fascinating Indian Heritage iii. 92/2 He carried a medicine bundle containing sacred objects, including horns and bones thought to be relics of the mythical Uktena and Water Cougar.
1998 J. Williams Life Goethe iii. 148 This slight operetta..includes several other songs..another Danish ballad of a water-demon, an English riddle ballad.
2010 Sunday Times (Nexis) 14 Nov. An ondine is a water wraith, a mermaid with legs, but no soul.
(b)
water deity n.
ΚΠ
1684 T. Guidott Gideon's Fleece 12 The limpid Liquor, where the Nymphs do sport And all the water-deities resort.
a1719 J. Addison Dialogues Medals in Wks. (1721) I. ii. 500 We see abundance of Water-Deities on other Medals.
1990 D. Carrasco Relig. Mesoamer. iii. 72 This underworld realm was called Tlalocan, considered the paradise of the great water deity.
water goblin n.
ΚΠ
a1790 A. MacDonald Suppl. Wks. P. Pindar (1797) 140 A cavern deep and wide, Deem'd of old the ghastly haunt Of Elves and Water-Goblins gaunt.
1819 J. R. Drake Culprit Fay xv He banned the water-goblins' spite.
1893 S. O. Addy Hall of Waltheof 85 A fabulous water-goblin mostly appearing in the shape of a gray water-horse.
2005 Sun (Nexis) 29 Oct. In true Brothers Grimm-style, a water goblin which feeds off drowning souls is rumoured to dwell beneath the bridge.
water god n.
ΚΠ
a1638 J. Mede Apostasy Latter Times (1641) 23 Such were their [sc. the Egyptians'] Cow-god Apis..and their Water-god Nilus.
1825 W. Scott Betrothed xv, in Tales Crusaders II. 305 The statue of a water-god bending over his urn.
1991 N.Y. Mag. 16 Dec. 56/2 At Sotheby's, an Akkadian red jasper cylinder seal..has carvings of the sun and of the Akkadian water god.
water kelpie n.
ΚΠ
1723 W. Meston Knight i. 65 Familiars, Brownies, Water-kelpies, And all the other hellish Whelpies.
1786 R. Burns Poems 59 Then Water-kelpies haunt the foord, By your direction.
1941 N. M. Gunn Silver Darlings ii. 36 The black horse was no other than, of course, the water kelpie of legend.
1997 Observer (Nexis) 5 Oct. 14 The line..passes Loch Sgamhain, Loch of the Lungs, so named because its water kelpie was said to devour all but the lungs of those who fell in.
water monster n.
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1569 E. Fenton tr. P. Boaistuau Certaine Secrete Wonders Nature f. 48v Besides it is not inconuenient to set forth in this place the pourtrait of a fishe flying, or rather a water monster [Fr. monstre aquatique], which is the chiefe cause that I haue vndertaken this treatise of fishes.
1700 R. Blackmore Isaiah xiv, in Paraphr. Job 257 On thy Shore shall Water-Monsters howl.
1867 M. Arnold On Study Celtic Lit. 60 What is the Avanc, the water-monster, of whom every lake-side in Wales, and her proverbial speech, and her music, to this day preserve the tradition?
1987 W. Hagelund Whalers no More xiii. 177 In British Columbia we have two fabled water monsters, one in Okanagan Lake and another in the Cadboro Bay area of Victoria.
water nixie n.
ΚΠ
1828 T. C. Croker Fairy Legends & Trad. S. Ireland III. 111 The connexion of Staufenberger with the water Nixe [in a German tale] brings, at last, destruction.]
1832 Edinb. Rev. Oct. 49 It is the voice of the Water Nixies, which startles two lovers, faintly heard through the wreathing mists upon the lake.
1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede II. iii. xxii. 146 Water-nixies, and such lovely things without souls.
1999 A. Arensberg Incubus v. xii. 140 All the natural spirits were about—elves, trolls, wood nymphs, and water nixies, and some which must not be named.
water sprite n.
ΚΠ
1578 T. Churchyard Disc. Queenes Entertainem. sig. G.ijv I hearing this good hope, being apparelled like a water Sprite, beganne to sounde a Timbrell.
1798 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Marinere iii, in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads 15 An it dodg'd a water-sprite, It plung'd and tack'd and veer'd.
1873 G. C. Davies Mountain, Meadow & Mere xiv. 113 Which needed but little imagination to transfer them into fays and water sprites.
2009 Fantasy & Sci. Fiction Apr. 36 Water sprites placed kisses on Ward's lips and caressed his cheeks with their breasts.
h. Forming names of measures of capacity used in water measure (see water measure n.), as water bushel, water firlot, water peck, etc. See also water met n. at Compounds 7, water-pound at pound n.1 1b. Now historical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > [noun] > specific measures or standards
water metOE
measurec1350
water met1426
water measure1465
Winchesterc1550
Pool measure1701
mgd1955
the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > [adjective] > denoting specific standard or system
waterOE
OE Antwerp-London Gloss. (2011) 90 Norma, wæterpund.
a1311 in Rec. Trial Walter Langeton (1969) 130 Quinquaginta carratis plumbi videlicet Waterfother.
1471–2 Aberdeen Acct. f. 3, in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Wattir The said Recherd sall mak cownt for the smaw custum & the watter bow.
1582 in M. B. Johnston & C. M. Armet Minute Bks. Burgh Kirkcudbright (1939) I. 172 Tuentie waltir bolls salt.
1615 E. Sharpe Britaines Busse sig. B4 A water Bushell, that is 5 peckes of Spanish salt, will salt a barrell of Herrings.
1655 in Rec. Convent. Burghs Scotl. (1878) III. 402 The water firlot for bear and oattis.
1801 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 102 Potatoes..from 1s. 2d. to 1s. 4d. per water peck, which is a measure of about fourteen Scots pints.
1881 H. W. de Caux Herring iii. 78 A water-bushel, or five pecks, of salt was estimated to cure a barrel of herrings.
2004 R. D. Connor & A. D. C. Simpson Weights & Meas. Scotl. i. vii. 271 Increasing this by a further sixteenth gives the water measure, with a water firlot of 24 pints and a water boll of 96 pints.
i. Designating a machine worked or powered by water, a part of a machine in which water is heated, or a structure or device for drawing or circulating water, as water bellows, water blast, water box, water chamber, water corn mill, water drum, water feed, †water shovel, water trap.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation of grain > milling or grinding > [noun] > corn-mill > other types of mill
water corn mill1327
watermill1371
quern mill1590
water grist mill1636
tide-mill1640
parish mill1676
whin-mill1793
roller mill1828
saddle quern1867
walk-around1869
kibbler1882
1327 Ministers' Accts. (P.R.O.: 1247/12) in Middle Eng. Dict. at Water-shovele In ijc Schotbord pro waterscheffles aquatici molendini.
1384 Foreign Accts. (P.R.O.) in Middle Eng. Dict. at Water Reddit compotum de..j Mukehoke, j sherhoke, j cacabo..j Waterwyndas.
1580 in W. Greenwell Wills & Inventories Registry Durham (1860) II. 32 All my interest in the water corne mylne and farmehold in Kirklawe.
1725 in G. J. Piccope Lancs. & Cheshire Wills (1857) I. 178 A wattercorn Milln called Accorinton Milln.
1763 in S. Smiles Engineers (1861) I. 359 (note) At the mouth of the cavern is erected a water-bellows.
1821 London Jrnl. Arts & Sci. 2 183 Placing the water-boxes upon the roller-beam.
1824 ‘R. Stuart’ Descr. Hist. Steam Engine 47 The pipe, 1, connects the air-chamber, a, with the inner water-chamber, a.
1833 T. Sopwith Mining Distr. Alston Moor 131 The water blast..consists of a wooden pipe placed in a shaft, and down which a stream of water is kept running, while a quantity of fresh air is carried with it.
1876 Encycl. Brit. IV. 468/1 It is from the drying up of the fluid in water-traps that uninhabited houses are so frequently offensive.
1884 C. G. W. Lock Workshop Receipts 3rd Ser. 388/1 The draught is sometimes kept up by..a water-drum, an apparatus which sucks in air by means of the friction of a jet of water.
1914 Chambers's Jrnl. May 334/2 The..lamp..works automatically, the water-feed to the carbide being drop by drop.
1951 D. Mathew Age Charles I xii. 196 Yeomen are found operating grist-mills, water corn-mills and fulling mills.
1993 Cottage Life Mar. 39/3 The piston pump is simple to prime... You put water in the head (also known as the water box) and it should pick up its prime.
2003 N. Brownlee Everything you didn't need to know about UK 122 The ‘airstream’ blowpipe..uses a water trap to prevent water displacement.
j. Designating an item of food or drink prepared with water (instead e.g. of milk), or by mixing or diluting with water. Also with reference to other prepared substances in which water is an important ingredient, as water size, water starch. See also water gruel n., water-ice n. 1, water-sop n. 1, water toast n. at Compounds 7, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > biscuit > [noun] > crackers
watera1450
cracker1739
water biscuit1789
water cracker1803
cream cracker1906
Triscuit1906
saltine1907
shrimp cracker1969
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > cider > [noun] > ciderkin or small cider
water cidera1450
purrec1623
pomperkin1637
water cidera1665
ciderkin1678
perkin1761
beverage1796
a1450 MS Bodl. 779 in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1889) 82 335 (MED) A lytil water-potage he ete.
c1610–15 Some Notes before Liues in C. Horstmann Lives Women Saints (1886) 26 But to her self being sicke, she was still rigorous, hardlie admitting a little wine, with her water-meates.
1630 T. Dekker Second Pt. Honest Whore ii. i. 205 As arrant a whore as euer stiffned tiffany neckcloathes in water-starch.
1702 J. K. tr. F. Massialot Court & Country Cook 22 Two [Dishes] of Blanc-manger-fritters, garnish'd with Water-fritters.
1747 H. Glasse Art of Cookery ix. 104 A Water Tansey.
1767 H. Robertson Young Ladies School of Arts (ed. 2) i. 30 (heading) Gilding in water-size.
1769 W. Buchan Domest. Med. i. 22 It will then be proper to give it..a little of some food that is easy of digestion; as water-pap, milk-pottage.
1786 R. Burns Poems 76 I'll sit down o'er my scanty meal, Be't water-brose, or muslin-kail, Wi chearfu' face.
1816 W. Scott Old Mortality i, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. III. 9 We got some water-broo and bannocks.
1838 A. Langton Jrnl. in Gentlewoman Upper Canada (1950) 80 This morning the same party assembled to tea, coffee, and water porridge—a great favourite with most of the backwoodsmen.
1851 Manch. Guardian 14 May 5/6 They made her some water sops which she did eat.
1887 tr. A. Daudet Tartarin of Tarascon i. 67 From that day forward he lived upon water broth alone.
1947 W. de la Mare Coll. Stories for Children 61 A bowl of water-porridge, using up for it the last pinch of meal.
1957 K. Kęplicz tr. J. Sehn Concentration Camp Oświecim-Brzezinka v. 58 The basic meal consisted there of one litre of so-called Bunasuppe, a water soup concocted from potatoes and other foodstuffs of little nutritive value.
1991 D. V. Maurer & P. Maurer Marbling iii. 30/2 After several sheets have been marbled..the water size may become muddied.
k. Relating to the drinking of water (sometimes spec. with reference to abstinence from alcohol), as water day, water diet, water doctrine, etc.
ΚΠ
?c1450 in G. J. Aungier Hist. & Antiq. Syon Monastery (1840) 384 Than suche as haue nede may drynke euery day in the ȝere, outake water dayes, ffor than none schal drynke but water, withe oute special licence of the abbes.
1710 J. Floyer Pulse Watch II. xix. 134 Whatsoever decays the Circulation, produces the abundant quantity of crude Chyle and Serum, as Water-diet, great Evacuations of Blood, and Chronical Diseases.
1843 W. H. C. West & W. West (title) The water pledge.
1854 W. M. Thackeray J. Leech's Pictures in Wks. (1900) XIII. 484 George..has taken to the water-doctrine, as all the world knows.
1877 J. R. Kaighin in Onward Reciter 6 67 ‘What! Charley Rivers, drink you not In honour of my boy, your friend?’ The hostess cried... And one did sneer ‘Oh, Charley's one Of those deluded water folk.’
1886 Proc. Sanitary Convent. Big Rapids (Michigan) 17 On the first two days [of drinking brandy] he thought he worked as well as on water days, but on the third day he had palpitation of the heart.
1925 R. Graves Welchman's Hose 9 Our feeding and our water-time, Our breeding and our slaughter-time.
1973 New Scientist 22 Mar. 676/3 Over the years medical entrepreneurs have readily catered to this desire by concocting a number of specialised diets, such as the drinking man's diet, the water diet, and the grapefruit diet.
2002 E. Adamson Everything Stress Managem. Bk. 38 Take a water day. Don't drink anything but water all day long.
l. Designating a person living or occupied on the water, or travelling by water. Also occasionally: found or encountered on the water. See also waterman n. 1, water thief n. 1, etc.
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the mind > possession > possessions > [noun] > personal or movable property > flotsam or jetsam
shipwreck?a1100
wreke1420
wrecka1425
wrack1428
jetsam1491
waveson1526
wrake1544
sea-wracks1548
water1552
wracksa1586
flotsam1607
wrack-goods1671
floatage1672
wreck-goods1693
jettison1708
wreck-wood1821
wreckages1864
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabitant > inhabitant according to environment > [noun] > dweller beside river
water1552
riverain1804
society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > [noun] > branch or part of police force > specific
water1552
armed police1787
special police1804
detective force1849
traffic police1883
vice squad1905
drug squad1913
blue force1920
ghost squad1922
flying squad1927
Sweeney1936
morality squad1945
courtesy patrol1961
strike force1961
pussy posse1963
drugs squad1965
vice1967
mobile1971
uniform branch1972
uniform1978
NCIS1991
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Waterguide, conuector.
a1676 M. Hale De Jure Maris i. v, in F. Hargrave Coll. Tracts Law Eng. (1787) 23 His [sc. the water-baillie's] business was, to look to the king's rights, as his wrecks, his flotsan, jetsan, water-strays, royal fishes.
1776 Middlesex Jrnl. 29 Aug. 1/3 The walkers, the water travellers, and the hackney coach company predominated.
c1826 R. Pollok in D. Pollok Life R. Pollok (1843) 300 The Baijus—wandering water-gipsies on the eastern seas.
1872 W. H. Dixon Switzers xxv. 253 The lad will..push his boat across the lake, and dive into the secrets of the ancient water-folk.
1893 I. Burton Life R. F. Burton II. 60 Hasan Hammad..is now sergeant to the water-police.
1897 S. L. Hinde Fall Congo Arabs 157 The Waginia, who are the water-people, and do all the transport on the river.
1909 Harper's Monthly Mag. Sept. 527/1 He is an addition to the varied army of vagrants—he is a water tramp.
1923 D. H. Lawrence Birds, Beasts & Flowers (N.Y. ed.) 90 Fishes,..Outsiders. Water-wayfarers.
1965 W. H. Auden About House (1966) 16 I should like To be to my water-brethren as a spell Of fine weather.
1993 S. Stewart Ramlin Rose ix. 91 Some h'ignor'uns calls us gypsies, water-gypsies. We 'ates that. We'm workin people with a purpose, and proud of it.
2009 Guardian (Nexis) 19 Nov. 37 A conscientious objector who did his war service as a water fireman on the Thames.
m. Designating a fabric with a watered pattern (see watered adj.1 5a), and hence also forming compounds used attributively with the sense ‘made of such material’, as water camlet, water tabby, water taffeta, etc. See also watersilk n. and adj. at Compounds 7. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [adjective] > patterned > other
watered1568
water1586
Paisley1790
herringbone1860
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from silk > [adjective] > with glossy or shiny surface
satin1403
tabby1638
water tabby1672
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from silk > [noun] > types of > with glossy or shiny surface > silk taffeta
tabin1611
tabby1638
water tabby1691
tobine1755
taffetine1884
1586 Treat. against Def. of Censure Bks. W. Charke & M. Hanmer 85 But what is he, that saith his garment was of water-chamlet, handsome and decent?
1592 R. Greene Vision sig. C A Sleeuelesse Iacket large and wide..Of water Chamlet did he weare.
1639 N. C. Diatelesma: 5th Pt. 110 The hangings were of unshorne greene Velvet..tufted with greene water Grograynes, buttons of gold and rich galownes.
1672 Inventory of Edward Gunn (London Metropolitan Archives: DL/AM/P1/01/1672) membrane 33 One pinck water tabby gowne.
1691 L. Echard Flanders 31 Here is also made fine Linnen Cloth, equalling that of Cambray, with Water-Tabbies.
1704 J. Swift Tale of Tub ii. 59 What is..the Sea, but a Wastcoat of Water-Tabby?
a1714 E. Freke Remembrances (2001) 182 i head and tester belonging to my plodd bed 4 haire water camlett curtains to itt.
1821 Courier 4 May The train was composed of rich water gros de Naples, trimmed with blond lace and satin.
1824 Jackson's Oxf. Jrnl. 21 Aug. (advt.) Lofty 4-post and other bedsteads, with reeded pillars, water-moreen, chintz, dimity, and other furnitures.
1864 Church & State Rev. 1 Oct. 127/2 (advt.) French merino and water taffeta bodices, 2s. 6d. to 12s. 6d.
1876 Art Jrnl. 2 281 D'Urfey writes of water camlet gowns, gowns with golden flowers, spotted petticoats fringed with knotted thread, lace shoes and silk hose.
1928 M. F. Dickenson Apron Strings vii. 74 I asked you which you'd like best, a gray moire or violet water taffeta?
1934 Mich. Alumnus Oct. 197/2 Provided it was moirée or what we used to call water-tabby, it would do better than anything of the present day. Never mind the price!
n. Designating a substance which hardens in water and so becomes impervious to it, as water cement, water lime, water mortar. Cf. hydraulic adj. 3. Now rare and chiefly historical.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > cement or mortar > [noun] > hardening under water
water cementa1589
water limea1589
water mortara1589
a1589 L. Mascall Bk. Fishing (1590) 49 This kinde of water lime, will holde both in water and frostie wether.
1686 R. Blome Gentlemans Recreation iv. ii. 120/2 Water-Lime..must be very strong.
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §198 The hardening of water-mortar.
1837 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 1 26/2 We must..distinguish between a good mortar, and a good water mortar, or cement.
1847 A. C. Smeaton Builder's Pocket Man. (new ed.) 34 The Roman is the most valuable of all water-cements.
1869 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Agric. 1868 377 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (40th Congr., 3rd Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc.) XV The making of hydraulic cements, (water-limes,) mastics, &c.
1911 Cement & Engin. News 23 63/2 The idea they conveyed was that formation of crystals was harmful to the cement as a water-mortar and limited its durability in water.
1961 Jrnl. Soc. Archit. Historians 20 196/2 Joseph Clary also manufactured water lime in the village of Chittenango.
2006 R. Fort et al. Heritage, Weathering & Conservation I. 184/2 (table) Water lime... Water mortar.
o.
(a) Performed, executed, or taking place on or in the water. See also water polo n., water sport n. 1.
ΚΠ
1634 W. Wood New Englands Prospect i. vi. 19 Seeing the Beares take water, an Indian will leape after him, where they goe to water cuffes for bloody noses.
a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1661 (1955) III. 301 I saw the Lord Major passe in his Water Triumph to Westminster.
1781 Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser 16 Aug. The water frolic at Yarmouth was attended..by a greater number of sloops and gallies than has been known for some years past.
1793 J. O'Keeffe London Hermit ii. i. 30 I came upon this water excursion to see Mr. Whimmy's improvements.
1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod iii. i. 92 A representation of the water quintain..is given upon the tenth plate.
1817 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. II. xxii. 295 I shall not now enlarge on all these kinds of water-motion.
1886 Daily News 20 Dec. 5/6 A small landscape dotted about with figures representing a water-picnic.
1888 L. A. Smith Music of Waters 83 The verses and tune of this water-song..follow.
1894 H. Drummond Lowell Lect. Ascent of Man 106 At one time there was nothing else in the world but water-life.
1907 Country Life in Amer. Aug. 433/3 Water wrestling is a new sport, and can be practised in shallow or deep water.
1944 E. Blunden Shells by Stream 7 Trilling still with finch or lark Or water-sonnet.
1995 Country Apr. 11/3 The Cascades feature waterfalls and a nightly water-dance show.
2009 Irish Times (Nexis) 16 May (Travel section) 8 A range of sports activities for teenagers, from badminton to water volleyball.
(b)
water aerobics n.
ΚΠ
1981 Winnipeg Free Press 24 Jan. 22/4 (advt.) Pan Am Pool offers a wide variety of fitness programs... Swim and trim. Aquacises. Water aerobics.
2009 W. Doscher Art of Sprinting ii. 16 Water aerobics has been shown to be a useful tool to the healthy athlete and also during the rehabilitative period to one who is injured.
water pageant n.
ΚΠ
1606 T. Dekker Double PP sig. E4v A progresse does Hee take from Realme to Realme, With goodly water-pageants borne before him.
1841 C. Knight London I. i. 6 We could willingly spare many more intrinsically valuable things than the city water-pageant.
1976 Evening Post (Nottingham) 15 Dec. 1 Mr Michael Hammond said he had not received a reply from the County Council to an offer of assistance in organising a water pageant on the day of the Queen's visit.
2008 L. Paris Children's Nature iii. 115 Swimming..was the starting point for other important leisure activities such as boating, water pageants, and aquatic competitions.
water-party n.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > outing or excursion > [noun] > type of
summering1606
campaign1748
shoemaker's holiday1768
water-party1771
marooning1773
maroon1779
junket1814
pleasure cruise1837
straw ride1856
camp1865
pleasure cruising1880
hanami1891
mystery tour1926
mystery trip1931
awayday1972
gimmick1998
1771 Louisa xxv. 112 I am you know a miserable Creature on a Water-Party; unable to hold up my Head an Instant, I was confined the whole Time to the Cabbin.
1798 W. Windham Diary (1866) 397 June 6th.—Water party to Greenwich.
1834 B. Disraeli Let. in W. F. Monypenny & G. E. Buckle Life Disraeli (1910) I. 251 I had promised to join a water party in Sir Frank's yacht.
1903 M. E. Braddon Conflict xxiv. 330 I guess it will take the shape of a dance; but I'm bothered how to lift it out of the commonplace... I believe I shall be driven to make it a water-party.
1995 D. Donoghue Walter Pater iv. 36 On one such visit early in 1875 there was a water-party.
p. Designating a vehicle used to carry or transport water, as water boat, water tanker, water tender, water truck, etc., or an animal used for this purpose, as water donkey, water mule. See also water ship n. at Compounds 7.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel of specific construction or shape > flat-bottomed boat > [noun] > barge > other types of barge
coal barge1720
budgerow1727
water1727
brick barge1738
tent-barge1796
water barge1798
passage-barge1804
steam barge1812
schooner barge1819
tongkang1834
bumbarge1839
Tom Pudding1880
grain-barge1902
butty1923
support barge1967
reel barge1972
1727 A. Hamilton New Acct. E. Indies I. xxviii. 346 He built some Water Boats,..and, by these Boats furnished the Garison with good Water.
1847 Mechanics' Mag. 18 Sept. 268/2 It is an engine which requires no water tender.
1875 H. W. Baxley Spain II. xxii. 7 Market-donkeys, water-donkeys, coal-donkeys, and carrier-donkeys of every description of over-burthened misery.
1898 Daily News 3 May 8/3 The baggage and water animals.
1900 Daily News 17 Mar. 7/4 Indians, with their plucky and clever little water-mules, were ordered right up into the firing line.
1907 Munic. Jrnl. & Engineer 20 Nov. 577/1 Arrangement is made..to draw fresh water from a water boat when sea water would be objectionable.
1918 2nd Ann. Rep. U.S. Shipping Board 143 The War Transport Branch..has contracted for the following concrete ships: Fourteen 130-foot river boats, five 100-foot water tankers, and twelve 225-foot car floats.
1919 W. P. Sullivan & H. Tucker Hist. 105th Regiment Engineers xii. 240/2 Canvas tanks are constructed..about three miles behind the front line, and these tanks are filled by water lorries.
1958 P. Scott Mark of Warrior ii. 122 The water truck rendezvoused. Most of the chaps' bottles were empty.
1978 Dumfries Courier 13 Oct. 17/4 Two water tenders from Dumfries brought the blaze under control.
2004 Independent 18 Dec. 18/2 We have five water tankers behind us and they can only go 30 miles an hour.
q. Relating to transit or transport by water. See also water bus n., water taxi n. at Compounds 7.
ΚΠ
1738 J. Breval Remarks Several Parts of Europe: Tours since 1723 II. 41 Auxerre has a Water Communication with Paris.
1788 W. Gordon Hist. Independence U.S.A. III. xi. 390 The sending all the troops raised west of the Delaware, instantly by the water route to James river.
1816 J. K. Tuckey Narr. Exped. River Zaire (1818) iv. 159 It [sc. Banza Congo] has no water communication with the Zaire.
1827 N.Y. Spectator 18 Dec. A vast home trade..will be prosecuted, whether along the ocean, or the water highways of the interior.
1868 J. Ruskin First Notes Princ. Employm. for Destitute & Criminal Classes 8 The carriage..may..be done by water-traction and sailing vessels.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 373/1 Through its excellent water communication it affords an outlet for the agricultural produce of the district.
1970 P. Berton National Dream vii. iv. 282 Every pound of supplies had to be taken in over the lakes by canoe and portage because the end of steel [i.e. the railway] was still a good hundred miles from the water route.
1993 National Wildlife Feb. 10/2 Jet skis, parasails and other recreational water vehicles.
2006 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 10 Sept. v. 1/3 They set out to recreate what they could of those ancient routes, charting for modern travelers a new contiguous water trail from the top of Maine to the bottom of New York's Adirondack Park.
r. Chiefly Astrology. Designating a person born under a water sign or otherwise associated with the element water; of or relating to such a person. Cf. water sign at Compounds 7.
ΚΠ
1877 A. Keary in Auld Lang Syne: Select. Papers ‘Pen & Pencil Club’ 86 He divides people into earth, air, fire, and water people... [Jacob] Böhme was an earth person himself, he says so.
1899 Washington Post 9 July 22/3 Air people and water people never live happily together when married.
1931 A. Blackwood in N. Amer. Rev. Sept. 222/1 A Fire person and a Water person never get on—they extinguish each other.
1970 Press-Courier (Oxnard, Calif.) 26 June 10/2 Fire eyes are sparkling and daring; air eyes are alert and intelligent; water eyes are soulful and mysterious; earth eyes are honest and direct.
2009 B. Goldsmith Elements: Physical & Metaphysical Astrol. ii. 23 Water types are prone to depression and moodiness.
C3. Objective.
a. With verbal nouns and participial adjectives.
ΚΠ
eOE Rubrics & Direct. for Use of Forms of Service (Durh.) in A. H. Thompson & U. Lindelöf Rituale Ecclesiae Dunelmensis (1927) 117 To huntade & waeterhalguncge.
c1390 (?a1325) Adam & Eve (Vernon) in C. Horstmann Sammlung Altengl. Legenden (1878) 220 (MED) Þe watres vndur heuene Crist made togeder weende..and þo he cleped þis water gedering.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 456 Synke, for water receyvynge, exceptorium.
1627 T. May tr. Lucan Pharsalia (new ed.) ix. 826 The water-spoyling Newte, the dart-like Snakes.
1660 Marquis of Worcester in H. Dircks Life 2nd Marquis of Worcester (1865) 223 That..I may put in practice the greatest gift of invention..(I mean my water-commanding engine).
1670 J. Eachard Grounds Contempt of Clergy 16 Bed-making, Chamber-sweeping, and Water-fetching, were doubless great preservatives against too much vain Philosophy.
1695 D. Turner Apologia Chyrurg. 130 Every water-flinging Piss-prophet boasts himself a great Doctor.
1756 T. Birch Hist. Royal Soc. I. 285 Prince Rupert's water-raising engine..was ordered to be tried.
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 824 The trompe, or water-blowing engine.
1875 E. Giles Geogr. Trav. Central Austral. 109 [They] were no doubt dreadfully annoyed to find their little reservoirs discovered by such water-swallowing wretches as they doubtless thought white men and their horses are.
1903 Colliery Engineer Apr. 393 The water-hoisting engines are usually set at right angles to the coal engines.
1979 Tucson (Arizona) Mag. Apr. 62/2 The standard pool package routinely includes the basic water-cleaning devices.
1994 Amer. Scientist Oct. 467/2 The process was described by Jared Diamond and William Bossert..for invaginations of water-secreting pancreatic cells.
2005 J. Diamond Collapse (2006) i. 49 Planting alfalfa and other perennial water-demanding crops with deep roots to take up excess water from the soil.
2009 U.S. News & World Rep. Apr. 75/3 The hard part of water-splitting was getting the oxygen out.
b.
water-absorbing adj.
ΚΠ
1839 Q. Jrnl. Agric. 10 No. 47. 340 A substratum of earth, of greater water-absorbing properties than the pan-crust.
1918 Pop. Sci. Monthly Apr. 581/2 It consists..of small tubes containing sponge or some other water-absorbing material.
2007 C. Perrow Next Catastrophe (2011) ix. 318 FEMA relocated some communities following disastrous floods, turning the land into water-absorbing wetlands.
water-carrying adj. and n.
ΚΠ
1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 272 These water-carrying Tankards come out of the Heaven, to fetch water out of the Seas at Gods appointment.
1681 S. Pordage tr. T. Willis Ess. Pathol. Brain viii. 60 The veins, or Lymphaducts, or water-carrying vessells.
1845 F. Metcalfe tr. W. A. Becker Charicles 354 It was the custom to place some figure referring to water-carrying on the tomb of one who had died single, as a symbol of celibacy.
1897 Med. Age 10 Aug. 458/2 River- and lake-water polluted by sewage from cities with water-carrying sewer systems.
1914 Guide to Nature (Agassiz Assoc.) Oct. 202/1 The women..left water carrying to the men who were armed.
1999 Daily Tel. 26 July 3/3 The prefect of Livorno..arranged for water-carrying helicopters to tackle the fire.
water-drawing n. and adj.
ΚΠ
1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. Math. Præf. sig. cj Then, may you, of Ships water drawing, diuersly, in the Sea and in fresh water, haue pleasant consideration.
1660 ‘R. Dacres’ (title) The Elements of Water-drawing, or a Compendious abstract of all sorts and kinds of Water-Machins.
1662 J. Chandler tr. J. B. van Helmont Oriatrike lxiii. 513 The Liquor Latex..enjoyes a common life, neither doth it obey the rules of water-drawing Organs.
1851 M. Reid Scalp Hunters I. vi. 79 The water-drawing, wood-hewing Pueblos.
1973 Nature 6 Apr. 382/1 A branch of this water-drawing and wood-hewing supertechnological fraternity would be preserving health.
1992 M. Ondaatje Eng. Patient i. 21 He hears the water-drawing songs of the Mzina tribe.
water-haunting adj.
ΚΠ
?1555 W. Turner Huntyng Romyshe Wolfe sig. A.viv Dukkes & wilde Gese, and suche like of that water hanting [c1565 water haunting] kinde.
1596 F. Sabie Adams Complaint sig. B3v Diue in the deep, ye water-hanting Fishes, Now must ye serue to nourish man in dishes.
a1882 R. W. Emerson Poet in Compl. Wks. (1883) IX. iii. 309 Methought like water-haunting birds Divers or dippers were his words.
2005 C. Dart-Thornton Well of Tears (2006) 101 It occurred to her that an urisk, being a water-haunting creature, might know something about the marsh.
water-holding adj.
ΚΠ
1840 North Amer. & Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia) 18 July It would have been considered as admirable for..its curious mechanical structure of the flower, and its water-holding and insect-catching apparatus of the leaves, but for [etc.].
1852 Rep. Select Comm. Coal Mines 32 in Parl. Papers (H.C. 509) I. 1 The water-holding strata are not of great thickness.
1874 Lady Barker Boys 282 Basil, artfully leading the conversation round to water-holding plants, would tell him about the pitcher-plants of the West Indies.
1894 Australasian (Melbourne) 8 Sept. 435/5 Professor Spencer thus describes the water-holding frog found by the Horn exploring party.
1909 Proc. Iowa Acad. Sci. 16 107 A test was made of the effect of manure and peat on the water holding capacity of soils.
1993 New Scientist 15 May 53/4 The frogs described..were probably water-holding frogs of the family Leptodactylidae, native to the arid regions of Australia.
2008 C. Maser et al. Trees, Truffles, & Beasts iii. 56 The decomposing wood is gradually incorporated into the soil, where it imparts a healthy, spongy structure that..increases the soil's water-holding capacity.
water-loving adj.
ΚΠ
1764 J. Woodhouse Poems 91 The water-loving marygold, When all her thronging blossoms wide unfold.
1854 A. Adams et al. Man. Nat. Hist. 180 Water-loving Beetles (Philhydridæ).
1915 Chambers's Jrnl. Nov. 701/2 The lechwre is remarkable for its waterloving characteristics.
2007 Independent 8 Aug. (Extra section) 6/1 The water-loving canine is being trained by Newfound Friends.
water recycling n.
ΚΠ
1955 Baytown (Texas) Sun 1 Oct. 5/3 The first water recycling was started under direction of the Railroad Commission.
1993 J. Alfrey & C. Clark Landscape of Industry iv. 66 Having established a system of water recycling, the Coalbrookdale Company was reluctant to replace the existing water-driven blowing equipment and wheels.
2009 Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 11 June (Greening the Future Suppl.) 12/2 (advt.) Rainwater run-off..is used to feed the car washing and water recycling facility.
water-retaining adj.
ΚΠ
1848 J. M. Wilson Rural Cycl. II. 70/2 Land-locked morasses, water-retaining hollows.
1869 W. Wells Water-power of Maine i. iii. 17 The character of our rocks..is of peculiar importance in connection with the water-retaining capacity of our lakes.
1979 Arizona Daily Star 5 Aug. (Advt. section) 4/1 Applicant should have at least 3 years experience in the design of hydraulic, water-retaining structures.
2005 Gardenlife Oct. 74/2 Keep pots well watered... Use water-retaining crystals, which swell up and hold on to water.
water-saving n. and adj.
ΚΠ
1854 Documents Assembly State of N.-Y. (77th Sess.) II. No. 63. 249 Which water power..is calculated as sufficient to drive four runs of mill stones, upon the most approved water-saving plan.
1867 Trans. Inst. Engineers Scotl. 10 207 Little difficulty would be experienced in carrying out this sanitary and water saving measure in existing houses and for new buildings.
1920 Railway Rev. 19 June 1070/1 The heat saving, water saving, and percentage of exhaust steam required by the heater for tender-water temperatures of 40 to 70 degrees.
1976 Sci. Amer. Sept. 174/1 The plant would be water-saving, that is, it would evapotranspire much less water per unit of edible product than present-day cereals.
2001 S. Roaf et al. Ecohouse (2002) x. 221 If everyone installed water-saving toilets and showerheads, we could substantially reduce domestic water consumption.
water-selling n.
ΚΠ
1824 J. Morier Adventures Hajji Baba I. ix. 97 With the money that I had gained in water-selling, I found myself well off.
1886 S. P. Scott Through Spain v. 166 Water selling is quite a business in Spain, and the aguadores, in addition to their porous jugs, carry kettles of boiling water.
2001 A. A. Gordon in O. M. Iheduru Contending Issues Afr. Devel. xi. 231 They started a block-making factory, a catering business, a water-selling kiosk, an education program, and a training center.
water-yielding adj.
ΚΠ
1856 D. T. Ansted Elem. Course Geol. (ed. 2) Table of Contents p. xv Water-yielding power of different rocks.
1931 A. D. Hall Soil (ed. 4) iv. 121 The drying of the surface soil which ensues, through its severance from the water-yielding subsoil.
2001 Mountain Res. & Devel. 21 370/1 The Southern Alps are one of the highest water-yielding regions of the world's temperate zones.
c. With agent nouns. Recorded earliest in water-bearer n. See also water carrier n., water-drinker n., waterleader n., etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > other manual or industrial workers > [noun] > who carry, draw, or supply water
water-bearereOE
water drawereOE
tankard-bearer?1518
water carrier1532
water drawer1574
water-worker1579
water-caster1610
waterman1615
tankard-womana1667
water pumper1708
watering-man1791
water boy1823
pani-wallah1934
society > trade and finance > selling > seller > sellers of specific things > [noun] > seller of provisions > seller of water
water-sellereOE
waterleader?a1221
water lagger?1518
water-seller1697
water-monger1845
eOE Cleopatra Gloss. in J. J. Quinn Minor Lat.-Old Eng. Glossaries in MS Cotton Cleopatra A.III (Ph.D. diss., Stanford Univ.) (1956) 104 Cum lixarum [coetibus], mid wæterbererum.
1457 Will of Margaret Poole (P.R.O.: PROB. 11/4) f. 66 Menne Wat'chafer.
a1500 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Sloane 2027) (1988) 166 [a1450 Douce Moste þou kepe thi] water sekyr [Douce continues & defende hem with schot and with cast while þei fecche thi water].
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Water sercher, aquilex.
1562 W. Turner Bk. Natures Bathes Eng. f. 16, in 2nd Pt. Herball Smal byrdes..that are of easy digestion. But water-haunters must ye not touche.
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 177 Homer..hath deuised many proper names for Frogs, such as..Water-haunter.
1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 475 The Citizens conveighed water out of the river through pipes by an artificiall instrument or water-forcer.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 332 The water-regulator consists of a large cistern, in which another of less area and capacity is inverted.
1843 Zoologist 1 14 A leaden water-conductor at the top of our house.
1859 K. Cornwallis Panorama New World I. 38 The stretcher might have been directly under this water filterer.
1884 Bookseller 5 Mar. 262/2 Householders, who have grievances against their local water suppliers.
1884 U.S. Navy Exec. Ord. 31 Dec. New ratings are hereby established as follows: boiler maker, water tenders, oilers.
a1885 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 192 Fallers in dreadful frothpits, waterfearers wild.
1948 H. C. Nichols Voice at Sea x. 145 This water-tender, or boss stoker as he was sometimes called, was the devil himself.
1992 Chicago Sun-Times (Nexis) 19 Apr. (Travel section) 1 Twelve towers..are intended to lower Expo '92 temperatures by using water micronizers in copper rings to cool the air.
1996 Which? Apr. 6/3 Consumers in areas which had hosepipe bans and other water restrictions were, perhaps not surprisingly, the most severe in their verdicts on their water supplier.
2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 5 May 12/4 (headline) Council to name and shame water wasters.
d.
water drawer n.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > other manual or industrial workers > [noun] > who carry, draw, or supply water
water-bearereOE
water drawereOE
tankard-bearer?1518
water carrier1532
water drawer1574
water-worker1579
water-caster1610
waterman1615
tankard-womana1667
water pumper1708
watering-man1791
water boy1823
pani-wallah1934
1574 J. Marbeck Lyues Holy Sainctes 127 Ye shall be in bondage vnder Israel, all the dayes of your liues, and be hewers of woode, and water drawers for the congregation and house of God continually.
1660 J. G. tr. W. Goślicki Sage Senator Delineated i. ii. 22 Cleanthes was a poor water-drawer; and, though his outside might seem rough-hewn,..yet his mind was refin'd.
1740 J. Fransham World in Miniature I. 88 The pelican, which the Persians call the Water-drawer, is as remarkable as any of their fowls.
1867 W. Morris Life & Death of Jason xvii. 326 A marble step..Well worn by many a water-drawer's feet.
1996 S. A. Epstein Genoa & Genoese iii. 102 Wealthy people, surrounded by many free servants, bathers, water drawers, and most especially wet nurses, displayed their own status in society by [etc.].
water holder n.
ΚΠ
1810 Belfast Monthly Mag. Feb. 131/2 The water-holder is made to take asunder at the top of the pedestal, by a water tight screw joint.
1880 H. C. St. John Wild Coasts Nipon 225 The great tanks are more like small natural lakes than artificially constructed water-holders.
1992 B. McKillop Korean Art & Design 42 It is known that ceremonial water holders and bowls for tea made of celadon were used in Buddhist temples.
water-lover n.
ΚΠ
?a1808 Universal Syst. Nat. Hist. XIII. 149 (heading) Hydrophilus, the water-lover.
1853 S. Bunbury Life in Sweden I. xvii. 222 Charming Strömstad, and Marlstrand, and such pleasant retreats for water lovers.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses iii. xvii. [Ithaca] 624 Bloom, waterlover, drawer of water.
1986 R. Bakker Dinosaur Heresies (1988) vii. 151 They are inevitably portrayed as water-lovers with prodigious natatory prowess.
2014 West Austral. (Perth) (Nexis) 22 Dec. 3 Today marks..the longest day of the year in the southern hemisphere, giving beachgoers, water lovers and picnickers plenty of time to make the most of the glorious sunshine.
water purifier n.
ΚΠ
1828 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 25 Oct. 524 The water-purifier, Burdett,..is for thinning the water; I am for thickening the porridge.
1841 Manch. Guardian 5 June (advt.) Public attention is invited to Lipscombe & Co.'s London water purifiers, warranted the best that are made.
1913 Water Power Chron. Oct. 182/1 It is the sand..which gives the filter its efficiency as a water purifier.
1991 M. Tully No Full Stops in India (1992) v. 172 He arrived on the rooftop wearing a khaki solar topi and carrying his personal water-purifier.
water-seller n.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > selling > seller > sellers of specific things > [noun] > seller of provisions > seller of water
water-sellereOE
waterleader?a1221
water lagger?1518
water-seller1697
water-monger1845
1697 J. Stevens tr. F. de Quevedo Fortune in her Wits 35 Inhuman Water-seller, we are more like Drown'd Rats than Drunkards, thou makest us pay by the Quart for the River Water thou bringest in by the Hogshead.
1831 J. F. Cooper Bravo I. ii. 30 There is not a water-seller in the streets of Venice..who does not wish this Jacopo anywhere but in the bosom of Abraham.
2006 S. M. Stirling Sky People iv. 99 Water-sellers with hooked poles clattering with clay cups, skin containers on their backs and lying cries of ‘Fresh! Clean!’ on their lips.
water worshipper n.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > kinds of worship > [noun] > of water > practitioner of
water worshipper1828
1828 Morning Chron. 26 Dec. Some of the wondering spectators thought him a water-worshipper; others, with more reason, pronounced him crazy.
1871 E. B. Tylor Primitive Culture II. xvi. 248 Savage water-worshippers.
1994 H. I. Khan Sufi Teachings 70 Various symbols originally inspired by the mystery of the five elements became more and more the object of adoration by..water worshippers and nature worshippers.
C4. Instrumental, parasynthetic, limitative, etc.
a. With adjectives and past participles. See also water-soaked adj., water soluble adj. at Compounds 7, water-worn adj., etc.
ΚΠ
a1425 ( H. Daniel Liber Uricrisiarum (Wellcome 225) 311 (MED) Þe synewes in syk folk are..water-sapied & water-sooked becaus of mykyll wyk humidite.
tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) xii. l. 232 Oyldreggis watertemprid euenly..Or old vryne admyxt vneuenly With water partis too.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry §33 It wolde be water-forowed bytwene the landes, there-as the reane shulde be.
1555 W. Waterman tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions i. vi. 103 Euery body layes him downe dronckarde-like to reste his water bolne bealy.
1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares P 1 The nectarized Aqua cœlestis of water-mingled blood, sluced from Christs side.
1602 R. Carew Surv. Cornwall ii. f. 106v While thus they can nor liue nor dye, Nor water-gieu'd, escape away.
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. ii. i. 383 A sable, water-loaden Skie.
1606 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. (new ed.) ii. iii. 74 The pure and plenteous Flood Of his most precious Water-mixed Blood.
1672 R. Wild Let. Declar. Liberty Conscience 6 Wellcome as the Dove to the water-beaten Ark.
1757 J. Home Douglas iii. iii. 37 Water-wafted armies, whose chief strength Lies in firm foot, unflank'd with warlike horse.
1789 J. Williams Nat. Hist. Mineral Kingdom II. 205 The balls and glebes always appear water-rounded.
1818 Morning Post 1 Apr. Inducing persons..to draw their turnips from the water-sodden soil, and so feed their sheep upon a dry layer.
1841 H. Miller Old Red Sandstone v. 110 A huge water-rolled boulder of granitic gneiss.
1843 W. M. Thackeray Irish Sketch-bk. I. xv. 280 A great wide,..water-whipped square lies before the..window.
1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic I. ii. i. 258 The blood of a world-wide traffic was daily coursing through the thousand arteries of that water-inwoven territory.
1876 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 65 And mazy sands all water-wattled.
1883 F. M. Peard Contradictions xvi The old water-eaten and green stones of beautiful palaces.
1922 J. A. Dunn Man Trap iv. 49 Most of the young men nowadays are water-marrowed pups.
1925 E. Sitwell Troy Park 19 A water-hidden sound.
1927 V. Woolf in Forum May 704 Her cowardice; her mean, water-sprinkled blood.
1928 ‘Brent of Bin Bin’ Up Country xix. 325 The water running on to the water-smoothed stones.
1935 L. MacNeice Poems 21 Set these against your water-shafted air of amethyst and moonstone, the horses' feet like bells of hair.
1939 J. Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath i. 1 In the water-cut gullies the earth dusted down in dry little streams.
1939 D. Thomas Map of Love 6 Down the stacked sea and water-pillared shade.
1943 Wales July 30 Now I am lost, lost in the water-wound looms, Where the brief square windows break on a garden's decay.
1954 T. Vickerstaff Physical Chem. Dyeing (ed. 2) ii. 26 Some of the dispersed dyes may be reduced with titanous chloride in the presence of a suitable water-miscible solvent.
1960 T. Hughes Lupercal 46 Four-legged yet water-gifted.
1991 M. Helprin Soldier of Great War iv. 346 His gaze jumped from overspilling gutters to water-slickened facades to rain-laden palms dripping in the wind.
2002 N.Y. Times Mag. 28 Apr. 52/1 Julia Roberts..needed a water-padded bra to get her dimensions right.
b. With present participles and verbal nouns.
ΚΠ
1597 T. Middleton Wisdome of Solomon Paraphr. x. sig. M3v The world was made a water-rowling waue.
1688 G. Parker & J. Stalker Treat. Japaning xii. 35 You may afterwards take a fine wet rag, and rub over your work, making it as smooth as your industry is able; this furbishing it with a cloath dipt in water, we call Water-plaining.
1751 A. McDouall Inst. Laws Scotl. I. 681 If, by the water-wasting, the ground is worn away, where the dam was formerly.
1766 Compl. Farmer at Walk In order to make them more firm, it will be necessary to give them three or four water-rollings, that is, they should be rolled when it rains very fast; this will cause the gravel to bind.
1793 J. Arthur Let. 9 Dec. in T. Jefferson Papers (1997) XXVII. 499 I have Secured Some of the Best mechanicks on the Continent in the mashiene making line for water or weft Spining of Cotton or worsted.
1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 263 Amongst wheelwrights, the water-seasoning [of timber] is of special regard.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 386 Water-spinning differs both from the mule and jenny spinning.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 401 The..process of dew-retting or water-steeping.
1845 R. S. Surtees Hillingdon Hall III. xxxiv. 48 The richly wooded, water-glittering park.
1866 J. E. Taylor Lithographs iv. 116 The pebble will tell him..whether it has been subjected to much water-rolling influence, or whether it has been brought by ice.
1924 E. Sitwell Sleeping Beauty xx. 77 A lady sang through water-rippling leaves.
2004 I. Mills Divine Ecol. ii. x. 237 Suling lifted her water-glistening body from the bath.
c.
water-dispersible adj.
ΚΠ
1930 Ann. Surv. Amer. Chem. 1928–9 489 Another patent..covers the preparation of a water-dispersible anthraquinone vat dye powder.
1946 N.Y. Times 7 May 30/8 (advt.) Paint, water dispersible, yellow, blue and orange.
2013 Courier Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 23 Feb. 43 The experiment to create graphene began with graphite oxide, a water-dispersible material.
water-driven adj.
ΚΠ
1771 J. Williams Jrnl. 28 May in B. Franklin Papers (1974) XVIII. 114 Stopped to visit a marble mill; Williams was much interested in the water-driven saws and polishers.
1861 Jrnl. Soc. Arts 9 360/2 The cost of running logs through their great water-driven saw mills is very trifling, and the operation beautiful to witness.
2009 Private Eye 24 July 17/2 Water is nearly a thousand times as dense as air, so water-driven turbines are far more powerful and reliable than wind turbines.
water-efficient adj.
ΚΠ
1962 Nat. Resources (National Acad. of Sci.) 8 Development of salt-tolerant and water-efficient strains of useful crops could produce very substantial savings of water for useful purposes.
1979 BioScience 29 627/3 There is an urgent need to develop new drought-tolerant, water-efficient plants and to adopt water-efficient farming methods.
2008 National Trust Mag. Autumn 61/1 At many properties..we have installed water-efficient lavatories, air-flush waterless urinals..and water-pressure reducers.
water-filled adj.
ΚΠ
1603 J. Florio tr. Virgil Æneid in tr. M. de Montaigne Ess. i. viii. 14 As trembling light reflected from the Sunne, Or radiant Moone on water-fild brasse-lauers [L. sicut aquae tremulum labris vbi lumen ahenis].
1886 Standard 4 Jan. 6/5 The Kelso..is waterfilled, in all holds.
1962 Which? Car Suppl. Jan. 4/1 Air-cooled: relies on fan-driven air, not water-filled radiator.
2012 Steam Days May 284 The steam being ‘held’ in a steam accumulator, a partly water-filled reservoir, and fed to the cylinders from there as required.
water-flowing adj.
ΚΠ
1595 W. S. Lamentable Trag. Locrine iv. iv. sig. H3v From the Lee with water-flowing pipes The moisture is deriu'd into this arch.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 (1623) iv. x. 11 My mercie [hath] dry'd their water-flowing teares. View more context for this quotation
2010 P. J. Wigowsky Maya Pilgrimage 94 We walked through a large courtyard..with a water-flowing fountain in the center.
water-girt adj.
ΚΠ
1820 B. Silliman Remarks Tour Hartford & Quebec 208 Who in America has not longed to cast his eyes on the water-girt rocks and towers of Quebec!
1905 J. B. Bury Life St. Patrick vii. 134 The water-girt promontory which is washed on the west by Lake Kilglass.
2013 Independent (Nexis) 21 July (Travel section) 71 [He] showed me how the coastline is a perfect place for an exhilarating seaborne adventure; there's wild camping, rich sea life, deserted islands, water-girt castles, [etc.].
water-permeable adj.
ΚΠ
1902 Hearings before Comm. on Interoceanic Canals i. 625 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (57th Congr., 1st Sess.: Senate Doc. 253) XIX Underneath the dam there would be strata or belts of sand and gravel, water-permeable material.
2008 Times Mag. 18 Feb. 93/2 To make weeding easy, lay a water-permeable textile over the soil first.
water-poor adj.
ΚΠ
1902 Bot. Gaz. 34 347 Successive layers differ in density, and..these correspond to the ‘water-poor’ and ‘water-rich’ lamellae described by Nägeli.
1946 Nature 6 July 14/1 For an ordered system, the expansion on wetting is lateral for a water-rich system, and perpendicular for a water-poor system.
2004 onearth Summer 30/1 An oil-rich water-poor landscape makes financial and practical obstacles irrelevant [in the Middle East].
water-powered adj.
ΚΠ
1895 Selangor Jrnl. 3 157 The Malay Peninsula..is unquestionably one of the finest timbered, and finest water-powered countries in the world.
1974 M. Braithwaite Ontario ii. 20 Then came sawmills where the great logs were sawn by water-powered ‘muley’ saws into wide, rough boards.
2004 B. Bunch & A. Hellemans Hist. Sci. & Technol. 144/2 Among the precursors of the Industrial Revolution was the roller mill, an improved form of water-powered mill for producing flour from grain.
water-rich adj.
ΚΠ
1846 I. Steiner Elem. Reader, German & Eng. ii. 281 Lot went..to Sodom, which water-rich like a garden was.
1851 Westm. & Foreign Q. Rev. Oct. 132/1 In this very water-rich island [sc. Tahiti], one has to wade through many rivers.
1963 Times of India 10 July 7/4 Madras believes that this water-rich State can spare water for the development projects in Madras.
2005 E. Kolstrup in E. A. Koster Physical Geogr. Western Europe v. 79 If an area has high ground moisture content and low permeability a water-rich situation may develop.
water-saturated adj.
ΚΠ
1885 R. Meldola & W. White Rep. E. Anglian Earthquake 1884 156 The temporary squeeze to which the water-saturated beds were subjected by the passage of the wave of compression.
1946 Nature 9 Nov. 675/1 The extent of development obtained is related to the type and throughput of solvent, which is normally 10 ml. of water-saturated ether per strip.
2006 A. G. van der Valk Biol. Freshwater Wetlands i. 3 Dissolved oxygen in water-saturated soil is quickly depleted by microorganisms.
water-sealed adj.
ΚΠ
1842 Mechanic's Mag. 7 May 381/2 The patentee describes..a water-sealed pail of a peculiar construction.
1924 G. A. Burls Cost of Power Production by Internal-combustion Engines iv. 23 A gas-holder of the familiar inverted water-sealed type.
1979 Amer. Jrnl. Trop. Med. & Hygiene 28 1014/2 The Department of Health of the Philippine government..has campaigned since 1950 for the installation of cheap water-sealed toilets.
2000 M. Blair Ceramic Water Closets 10 Potters gained extensive flushing experience by making simple closets that had a pan with a supporting water-sealed trap for the growing cheaper end of the market.
water-swollen adj.
ΚΠ
1876 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Sept. 488/1 A defunct camel, water-swollen and hideous.
1903 R. Bedford True Eyes xxxvi. 201 Their string of five camels..were water-swollen, so that they looked like five great footballs set up on sticks.
2013 L. De Danaan Katie Gale vii. 60 The bay..fills with runoff from water-swollen hillsides and streams in the winter.
water-walled adj.
ΚΠ
a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) ii. i. 27 England hedg'd in with the maine, That Water-walled Bulwarke. View more context for this quotation
1811 Examiner 21 Apr. 15/2 That our water-walled garden of Britain should be the only place in the word where the dove of poesy could find rest.
2007 N.Y. Mag. 14 May 116/1 (advt.) Other features include a golf simulator, billiard room, library, screening room, and private, water-walled garden.
C5.
a. Locative, with verbal nouns, participial adjectives, and agent nouns.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > hostilities at sea > seafaring warrior or naval man > [noun]
water?1570
man-of-war1599
navy-man1679
man-of-war's-man1745
blue jacket1776
ocean-warrior1801
blue1806
web foot1846
gobby1883
nautic1909
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > [noun] > diving into water > one who or that which
ducker1483
diver1511
water?1570
plunger1611
header1848
belly flopper1895
?1570 T. Drant Two Serm. F v b The Italians be most wittie, the Spanyardes best water skirmigers.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes II. Table s.v. Cunning Water-diuers.
1674 W. Petty Disc. before Royal Soc. 117 Water-Divers who the lower they go, do find their stock of Air more and more to shrink.
1756 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. I. 69 Three leagues from Munich lies..Starenberg, where the court sometimes takes the particular diversion of water-hunting.
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §185 (note) Mortar for water building.
1880 Sanitary Rec. 15 Apr. 364/1 The convenience..of residences near for the water-faring population who travel to and fro from these places.
1889 H. M. Doughty Friesland Meres 277 The waterfarers on this much-frequented river.
1913 E. H. Barker Wayfaring in France 254 I decided on a little water-faring up the stream.
1950 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 7 July c1/3 The water frolicking continues, but under the watchful eye of the lifeguard.
2006 Up Here (Yellowknife, N.W. Territories) Nov. 90/1 The garrulous, devil-may-care water-squatter who so embodies the town's fleeting frontier spirit that he's been visited by the likes of Rick Mercer and Jack Layton.
b.
water-dwelling adj. and n. [in quots. 1859 and 1860 after Sanskrit kaivartaka fisherman, member of the fisherman caste, of uncertain Dravidian origin, with folk-etymological reinterpretation after Sanskrit ke (locative) in water + vartaka existing, dwelling.]
ΚΠ
1859 W. Elliot Flora Andhrica i. 76 (table) The word [Kaivartakam]..signifies ‘water-dwelling’.
1860 M. Reid Odd People 72 We have already stated, that the water-dwelling Indian is a fisherman.
1865 J. Lubbock Prehist. Times v. 122 The curious habit of water-dwelling.
1936 Discovery Jan. 7/2 South American water-dwelling frogs.
2013 Nature of Scotl. Spring 5/2 These winged stages develop after the mayfly has spent one or two years as a water-dwelling larva.
water-growing adj.
ΚΠ
1846 W. C. Hewitson Coloured Illustr. Eggs Brit. Birds II. 321 The nest..is of sedge and water-growing plants, and contains from eight to ten eggs.
1864 J. C. Atkinson Stanton Grange 160 Their haunts are always among water-growing weeds of some sort.
2012 Northside (Brisbane) Chron. (Nexis) 24 Jan. 20 Water-growing plants can quickly spread and become weedy.
water-living adj.
ΚΠ
1861 J. G. Wood Illustr. Nat. Hist. (new ed.) I. 352 The younger portions of the community..find in this water-living, earth-burrowing, sharp-toothed animal [sc. the polecat], a creature which affords plenty of sport to themselves and their dogs.
1919 H. G. Wells Outl. Hist. 12/1 Water-living creatures which are always under water, wave the freely exposed gills by which they breathe in the water.
2007 D. R. Prothero Evolution x. 222 Water-living fishes needed to develop some way of breathing air.
C6.
a. Similative, as water-clear, water-cold, †water weak, etc., adjs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily weakness > [adjective]
wokec897
unstronga900
unmightyeOE
feeblec1175
strengthlessc1175
unwieldc1220
weaka1300
frailc1384
unwieldyc1386
unthendec1425
dissolutec1450
unsure?a1475
feyc1475
simple1477
unfirm1483
unsinewed?1541
wash1548
weakling1557
ladylike1566
silly1567
water weak1592
washya1631
wankle1686
foible1715
unmuscular1725
nerveless1792
wankly1795
shilpit1813
wankya1825
sinewless1829
weedy-looking1835
queachy1859
insubstantiala1861
paper-backed1888
weak-fleshed1967
the world > matter > colour > named colours > grey or greyness > [adjective] > bluish grey
glawke1412
perse-blue1414
waterisha1425
blunket1488
bluish-grey1578
blue-grey1590
water1592
slate-grey1794
slate-coloured1801
griseous1819
neutral1821
slaty1822
schistous1858
slatish1860
powder-blue-grey1952
1592 S. Daniel Delia v. sig. B3 With fairest hand, the most vnkindest maide, Casts water-cold disdaine vpon my face.
1612 J. Davies Muses Sacrifice sig. B3 If lustie now, forth-with [I] am water-weake.
1663 G. Mackenzie Religio Stoici 151 Offering to walk upon the unstable surface of his own fleeting and water-weak fancies.
1910 W. de la Mare Three Mulla-mulgars xxi. 275 An odd little water-clear song.
1923 D. H. Lawrence Birds, Beasts & Flowers (N.Y. ed.) 85 Water-eager eyes.
1923 D. H. Lawrence Birds, Beasts & Flowers (N.Y. ed.) 89 I have..seen..His red-gold, water-precious, mirror-flat bright eye.
1924 E. Sitwell Sleeping Beauty 27 'Midst brightly perfumed water-flowing Eighteenth-century silks.
1925 E. Sitwell Troy Park 59 A flaxen lily Water-chilly.
1928 E. Sitwell Five Poems 3 That cloud of gold, Its kernel, crackling amber water-cold.
1945 E. Sitwell Song of Cold 11 One of the Dead who lay Beneath the earth, like the water-dark, the water-thin Effigy of Osiris.
1958 Lima (Ohio) News 23 Sept. 9/9 As to why he voted against the..bill, McCulloch said: ‘It was water weak and had some sleepers in it that made it worse than water weak.’
1965 C. Bukowski Let. 27 May in Screams from Balcony (1998) 155 I'll always remember your clear and water-cool voice.
1992 Vanity Fair May 91/3 (advt.) Stroke water-light drops of Neutrogena Body Oil over your skin while you're still wet from the shower.
b. With colour words, forming adjectives and nouns, as water-grey, water-green, water-white. See also water blue n. and adj. Cf. watery adj. Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > green or greenness > [adjective] > light green
beryl1594
spring green1735
water-green1757
berylline1847
chlorinea1849
peppermint1868
reseda1873
absinthe1963
lily-green1965
pepperminty1981
the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adjective] > and colourless
whiteOE
water-white1877
the world > matter > colour > named colours > green or greenness > [noun] > shade or tint of green > light green
willow-green1672
oil-green1673
lily-green1739
celadon1768
nascent green1839
ice-green1863
eau-de-nil1870
Nile green1871
absinthe1872
reseda1874
feuille1883
mignonette1883
chartreuse1884
water-green1884
mignonette-green1888
Nile1895
serpent1895
willow1922
peppermint1930
kelly1936
1757 Amer. Mag. Oct. 25/1 This worm..is quite pellucid, and of a water green colour.
1797 Jrnl. Nat. Philos., Chem. & Arts Nov. 370 A cliff of very hard white and water-grey marble.
1845 Med. Times 7 June 183/3 Something analogous may be observed in keratitis, but it is then accompanied by a greenish, or water-green tint.
1877 R. W. Raymond Statistics Mines & Mining 22 Illuminating-oil..of water-white and odorless qualities.
1884 Girl's Own Paper 30 Aug. 762/3 A large range of colour..primrose, water-green, beige.
1900 M. E. Coleridge Non Sequitur 33 The mournful water-gray eyes.
1968 Guardian 17 Aug. 8/1 Rooms done up in sky blue, water green, pink, or beige.
1992 CTM 20 Dec. 15/1 Polished apples in a water-green bowl.
2005 Olive July 15/2 Imagine a glass of almost water-white wine. It..tastes crisp, lean and light, reflecting its low (10 or 11%) alcohol content.
C7.
water-attracting adj. that attracts or absorbs water, hydrophilic; spec. (esp. in early use) that readily absorbs moisture from the air; hygroscopic.
ΚΠ
1854 J. Scoffern Man. Chem. Anal. Less. iv. 22 Carbonate of potash being the first deliquescent, or water-attracting, substance we have yet met in the course of our experiments.
1890 A. H. Church Chem. Paints & Painting viii. 72 The water-attracting property of glycerin induced me to use it as a substitute for honey in preparing moist water-colours.
1950 Pop. Mech. Mar. 172 Several of the chemicals have an odd ability to cause some water-attracting surfaces to become water-repelling and oil-attracting.
2013 A. Rutherford Creation: Origin of Life vi. 105 Cell membranes are built from fatty molecules called phospholipids. These..have a water-attracting head, and two legs that repel water.
water authority n. a municipal body administering a system of water supply.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > types of body or spec. bodies > [noun] > board > types of board
water board1842
water authority1872
river board1877
1872 Jrnl. Gas Lighting 7 May 426/1 The corporation were the water authority of the town, and would the committee institute a water company in opposition to them?
1911 Scotsman 19 Apr. 8/8 The Committee suggest that by means of co-operation or combination among the various water authorities much good may result to all concerned.
1977 P. R. Ehrlich et al. Ecoscience xi. 669 At least one operating plant in the United Kingdom, run by the local water authority, sells recovered water to industry and treated liquid and dried-sludge fertilizer to local farmers.
2006 Sunday Tel. (Sydney) 14 May 28/1 The water authority is also likely to instigate tough new water restrictions.
water baby n. (a) a tiny childlike being who inhabits the water in, or in allusion to, Charles Kingsley's book The Water-babies (1863; serial publication 1862–3); (b) a person who is likened to such a creature, as being happy or adept in or on the water; esp. a person, esp. a child, who loves swimming.In Kingsley's book, Tom, a chimney sweep, and other selected poor or mistreated children are turned into ‘water babies’ by fairies and given a happier existence in the water.
ΚΠ
1862 C. Kingsley Water-babies ii, in Macmillan's Mag. Sept. 359/1 The fairies had turned him into a water-baby... You never heard of a water-baby. Perhaps not. That is the very reason why this story was written.
1863 Guardian 21 Sept. 3/7 A water baby might live above ground in this weather. It rains, and rains, and rains again.
1873 Chambers's Jrnl. 25 Oct. 684/1 We admire the bronzed boatman,..his stalwart giants of sons beside him, and a brave curly-headed water-baby of a boy, exhibiting such playful importance as he hauls the heavy heap of nets forward.
1929 Pop. Mech. June 1033 (caption) Bird's-eye view of the completed pool, which is never without its quota of enthusiastic ‘water babies’.
1975 C. N. Manlove Mod. Fantasy (1978) ii. 19 Together with the water-babies he travels to the submarine fairy island of St. Brandan.
2006 Tate Etc. Spring 111/1 Perhaps to appreciate this picture, one has to be a water baby—the type of person happiest when swimming, or soaking in a deep bath.
water back n. [ < water n. + back n.2] now rare a tank or cistern for holding water; spec. = back-boiler n. at back- comb. form 2.
ΚΠ
1803 Trans. Soc. Arts 21 207 A water back or cistern above the boiler.
1875 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Water-back, a permanent reservoir at the back of a stove or range, to utilize the heat of the fire in keeping a supply of hot water.
1890 H. I. Blits Methods Canning Fruits & Veg. 110 If there is a water-back attached to the stove, see that it is filled with water.
1925 U.S. Dept. Agric. Farmers' Bull. No. 1460. 11 The hot-water flow pipe close to a water back or coil frequently becomes thickly covered with scale.
water ballast n. water carried in a tank or compartment and used as ballast on a boat or ship, or (later) an aircraft.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > other equipment of vessel > [noun] > ballast
lastage1440
ballast1486
ballasting1508
kentledge1625
water ballast1759
shifting ballast1785
pig of ballast1789
pig ballast1797
sandbag1834
stiffening1894
1759 Gentleman's Mag. 29 Suppl. 613/1 The common ballast..is liable to, and frequently does, shift, but the water ballast cannot.
1882 Pop. Sci. Monthly Dec. 214 The spaces between the two bottoms [of the ship]..form convenient chambers for water-ballast.
1901 Scotsman 14 Mar. 6/8 The boat..has a water ballast tank.
2001 Today's Pilot Feb. 62/3 (caption) The Minimoa was..the first sailplane to carry water ballast.
water ballet n. (a) a ballet or similar dance performed in or on the water; (b) = synchronized swimming at synchronized adj. Compounds 1
ΚΠ
1866 Era 1 July 8/4 A new grand mythological water ballet, called The Titanic Cascades and Sports of Diana.
1893 Funny Folks 3 June 390/1 There is a (landing)-stage performance of a water ballet, and the boats manned by women present a decidedly buoyant appearance.
1940 Hammond (Indiana) Times 14 Feb. 18/3 The Whiting Community Center girls' water ballet team last night took second place in competition at the Medinah club water carnival in Chicago.
1948 T. Wilder Ides of March ii. 143 When the water-ballet was ended, Caesar's party rose to go in search of the Queen.
1968 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 1 Feb. 11/8 Both women returned to Brisbane last week from the New South Wales synchronised swimming championships... Synchronised swimming is the initiate's term for water ballet.
1995 R. Barrios Song in Dark xvii. 418 Weissmuller..worked on a water ballet with ‘By a Waterfall’-style chorines that was not used [in the film].
2008 Courier Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 21 May 28 The Beijing-bound water ballet team will dip their toes into unfamiliar waters tomorrow at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.
water balloon n. †(a) a type of firework constructed to be discharged in the water (cf. balloon n. 3) (obsolete); (b) a balloon that is filled, or intended to be filled, with water, esp. for use as a water bomb.
ΚΠ
1688 M. Beckman Descr. of Royal Fire-works (single sheet) Several Water-Machines discharged divers Quantities of Water-Baloons and Water-Rockets.
1765 R. Jones New Treat. Artific. Fireworks ii. 45 (heading) For Water Balloons. I. Saltpetre four pound, brimstone two pound [etc.].
1825 J. Cutbush Syst. of Pyrotechny i. 21 In the various composition of aquatic fire-works..it is to be observed that, in forming water-rockets,..water-balloons, water-squibs, water-fire-fountains, and the like, substances are generally used..which..resist the action of the water.
1880 Frank Leslie's Pop. Monthly Aug. 252/1 By means of a syringe refill the balloon with water... Now let the water-balloon be carefully pricked with a fine needle.
1980 Times of India 31 Aug. (Sunday Review section) 6/1 Sixty-five water balloons..were used to measure the pressure distribution patterns of the human body.
2009 Hoosier Times (Bloomington, Indiana) 26 July (Herald-Times ed.) a8/3 Armed with water guns and water balloons, the campers make sure no one leaves the battlefield with a single square inch of dry skin.
water baptism n. baptism with water, as opposed to baptism with the Holy Spirit; (in later use frequently) spec. baptism by immersion.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrament > baptism > kinds of baptism > with water (preceding spiritual) > [noun]
water baptism1584
1584 J. Rainolds & J. Hart Summe of Conf. viii. 602 These are the two sacraments (saith he) of the Church, meaning the Lordes supper by blood, by water baptisme.
1673 J. Bunyan (title) Differences in Judgment about Water-Baptism, No Bar to Communion.
a1716 O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. xxiii. 212 That thus, and no otherwise, the Apostles..did admit into the Christian Church all that were receiv'd thereinto, i.e. by the Water-Baptism, is evident.
a1879 E. Backhouse Church Hist. (1884) xi. 122 There were other sects who rejected both water-baptism and the Eucharist.
1909 J. H. Moon Why Friends do not baptize with Water 7 The baptism which our Lord promised in the place of John's water baptism.
1958 N.Y. Amsterdam News 15 Nov. 5/4 New ministers undergo water baptism marking their ordination as ministers.
2014 Daily Nation (Nairobi) (Nexis) 7 Mar. I became a born again Christian, and later underwent water baptism.
water barometer n. †(a) a hydrometer used to measure the concentration of alcohol in spirits (obsolete rare); (b) a barometer in which atmospheric pressure is shown by the height of a column of water (rather than mercury).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > study or science of weather > meteorological instruments > [noun] > barometer > types of
baroscope1665
wheel-barometer1666
water barometer1715
sympiesometer1817
barometrograph1847
aneroid1849
barograph1865
Fortin1875
telebarograph1884
telebarometer1884
telehydrobarometer1884
aneroidograph1890
statoscope1890
barocyclonometer1906
1715 F. Slare Exper. & Observ. Oriental & other Bezoar-stones 28 I procured very good and pleasant Spirits out of all of them; I took care to bring them to the same Heighth or Standard of Spirits, (by my Water Barometer especially, and other Ways,) which came as near to the Proof of French Brandy as I could bring them.
1725 R. Boyle Philos. Wks. III. Index 689/2 A water-barometer in vacuo.
1866 A. Steinmetz Weathercasts 143 The water barometer at the Royal Society's rooms gave more than 13 inches (13·386) rise and fall for every inch of the mercurial column.
2000 N. Lambert et al. Heinemann Physics for CXC ix. 121/2 A student decided to make a simple barometer. He used water because he did not have access to mercury. What is the minimum length of his water barometer?
water-base adj. = water-based adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > [adjective] > consisting of or containing water > as main ingredient
water-base1927
water-based1949
1927 U.S. Patent 1,635,862 1/1 The core may in any desired manner be rendered waterproof..by treating it with a suitable waterproofing preparation, preferably of the type which is applied in the form of a water-base solution.
1957 J. H. Van der Have & C. G. Verver Petroleum ii. 59 Three types of drilling fluid are at present in use: water-base muds, emulsion-type muds and oil-base ‘muds’.
2008 V. DeMasi Designer Faux Finishing 13/2 Water-base—or waterborne—paints, primers, and glazes use water as a solvent.
† waterbedrip n. Obsolete a day of manorial harvest service (see bedrip n.) at which the reapers were provided with only water to drink.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > harvesting > [noun] > cutting, reaping, or mowing > reaping as duty of tenant
bedrip1226
waterbedrip1276
wedbedripc1325
1276 in J. L. Fisher Medieval Farming Gloss. (1968) 40 Waterbedrip.
1325 in H. C. M. Lambert Hist. Banstead in Surrey (1912) 321 Willelmus atte Hulle..valet opus obolus et habebit ad duas waterbedrepes iii homines.
1363–4 in H. C. M. Lambert Hist. Banstead in Surrey (1912) 350 (MED) De ccxvii operibus vocata waterbedripes proveniente de liiii custumariis ad ii waterbedripes quasi i die ad ii repastus.
water bicycle n. any of various pedal-powered vehicles designed to travel on water (cf. water-cycle n.1).
ΚΠ
1870 Lancaster Gaz. 25 June 5/4 An ever-changing variety of out-riggers, canoes, racing gigs, plying boats—and, marvellous sight!—a water bicycle.
1914 P. Withington Bk. Athletics 429 I suppose that in that interesting future we all like to talk about we shall have some surprising devices for traveling as well as amusing ourselves in water. We already have the water bicycle.
2002 Moscow Times (Nexis) 7 June Some park beaches also offer row boats and water bicycles for hourly rental.
water bike n. = water bicycle n.
ΚΠ
1895 Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 3 May 5/1 He [sc. George Cremer] has built a water ‘bike’.
1969 Motor Boating Jan. 185/3 A three-seat water bike and a swim raft are manufactured by the Weeres Ponton Boat Co.
2003 K. Hannah Between Sisters (2009) vii. 71 Alison and Bonnie were pedaling a water bike in the cordoned-off section of the lake.
water bill n. (a) (chiefly with capital initials) a legislative bill concerned with the supply or use of water; (b) a bill for payment for water supplied.
ΚΠ
1761 Scots Mag. Mar. 148/1 When the water-bill first came to light, not only the heritors, but all the societies in town, met, and resolved to oppose it.
1849 Boston Cultivator 3 Nov. 353/1 The statistics..will show upwards of 12,000 takers, over 11,000 of whom have paid their water bills.
1881 Fraser's Mag. Feb. 282 Though a Water Bill for London is promised, the chances are..that the water companies will enjoy their privilege of despoiling unfortunate house-holders for at least another year.
1912 Water & Gas Rev. July 17/3 If a water bill is unpaid the water shall be shut off the premises.
1990 A. Adonis Parl. Today v. 72 The passage of the Water Bill took up almost 300 hours of parliamentary time.
2002 Times 5 Apr. ii. 5/2 She has used all her income support to pay a water bill and now has no cash even to feed her electricity meter.
water binding binding by or of water.Originally used with reference to the practice of using water (typically mixed with hoggin) to bind the surface of a macadam road.
ΚΠ
1907 R. E. B. Crompton in Minutes Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers 169 19 The earlier repair of the cavities which form so quickly on macadam roads and are due to the water binding.
1967 J. Blish Star Trek 88 It was in that sample of liquid Mr. Spock brought back, of course—a catalyst that promoted water-binding.
1998 D. L. Kaplan Biopolymers from Renewable Sources vi. 154 At high concentration, ionic species begin to compete with protein molecules for water and reduce water binding.
2014 Proc. 17th Gums & Stabilisers for Food Industry Conf. ii. 148 Bigger particles with a smooth surface needed..time for plasticization before close water binding could take place.
water blossom n. an algal bloom; = water-bloom n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun] > discoloration by organisms
redwater1839
breaking (of the meres)1884
water blossom1884
water-bloom1887
algal bloom1938
bloom1939
red tide1942
1884 W. Phillips in Trans. Shropshire Archæol. Soc. 7 285 Though the appearance of the ‘water-blossom’ has often been observed and examined, very little is known of the causes from which it originates.
1906 Rep. Brit. Assoc. Advancem. Sci. 759 Microcystis roseopersicinus..formed a striking pink ‘water blossom’.
2005 O. Gabriel et al. Fish Catching Methods of World (ed. 4) xix. 275/2 Undesirable matter includes mass-produced microorganisms (water blossom) from natural causes or resulting from pollution.
water body n. an area or mass of water, esp. as forming a topographical feature (lake, river, sea, etc.); a body of water (see body n. 18a).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun]
watereOE
freshlOE
openc1485
strand1513
shard1590
water body1723
drink1832
lane1835
swim1880
nappe1887
dead zone1971
1723 J. Pointer Rational Acct. Weather 9 In a little time you'll see the Clouds muster..and the Air condensing into a Water Body.
1887 Science 12 Aug. 79/1 The hydrographic basins of these two water-bodies embraced the entire width of the Great Basin.
1974 R. H. Britton in R. Goodier Nat. Environment Shetland 123 The most abundant type of standing waterbody on Shetland..is a dystrophic loch of area less than 1 hectare.
2002 Wired Sept. 147/1 The new river..becomes that most politically charged of water bodies, a ‘transboundary’ river.
water boiler n. an appliance for boiling or heating water, esp. in large quantities; cf. boiler n. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > vessel > vessel in which liquid is boiled > [noun]
furnacec1290
boiler1591
water boiler1774
pressure boiler1891
1774 Adams's Weekly Courant 27 Sept. 1/4 (advt.) The following are some of the various Articles which he manufactures... Plate-Warmers, Water-Boilers, Preserving Pans, Tea Kettles [etc.].
1866 Mechanics' Mag. 28 Dec. 404/2 The second part..consists in the use of and certain improvements in the water boiler known as the saddle boiler.
1920 I. N. Evans in G. A. Hool & N. C. Johnson Handbk. Building Constr. II. iii. 1154 Water boilers are provided with thermometers and an altitude pressure gage.
2001 Independent 16 Aug. i. 1/5 London Underground train drivers are demanding commercial water boilers instead of kettles in certain mess rooms.
water bomber n. an aircraft used to fight fires by water bombing.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > air or space travel > a means of conveyance through the air > aeroplane > [noun] > aircraft for other specific uses
ambulance aeroplane1915
ambulance airplane1918
ambulance plane1918
air ambulance1920
firebomber1938
crop-duster1939
grasshopper1939
water bomber1956
weather plane1962
bird dog1965
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > extinguishing fire > [noun] > fire-fighting > a substance or apparatus for extinguishing > aircraft for dropping water
water bomber1956
1956 Los Angeles Times 29 Nov. i. 25/1 Water bombers still continued to hit flames in narrow canyons on the southern slope of 3600-foot El Cajon Mountain.
1986 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 26 Nov. The decision by the Country Fire Service to scrap its system of light aircraft spotter planes in favor of a single water bomber has come under fire.
2006 Independent 16 Aug. 20/2 11 water-bomber aircraft and two helicopters had taken part in the operation and 300 fire officers had been deployed on the ground.
water bombing n. the dropping of water bombs (water bomb n. 2b) as a firefighting measure.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > extinguishing fire > [noun] > fire-fighting > dropping water from aircraft
water bombing1953
1953 Sci. News Let. 22 Aug. 126/1 For water-bombing, especially developed paper bags that hold water are used.
1999 R. Dennis Rev. Fire Projects Indonesia vii. 59/2 Fire fighting efforts were initially concentrated in East Java where water bombing was successful in extinguishing the fires.
water breach n. †(a) (apparently) = water bank n. (obsolete rare); (b) an irruption of water; a gap created by such an irruption.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > land mass > shore or bank > [noun]
staithec893
cliffeOE
overeOE
wartha1000
strandc1000
brimc1275
brinka1300
rivagec1330
water bankc1384
cleevea1387
watersidea1387
clifta1398
rival?a1400
shorec1400
water breach1495
common shorea1568
verge1606
praia1682
riva1819
splash zone1933
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > flood or flooding > [noun]
streamc950
water floodOE
floodc1000
waterOE
diluvya1325
waterganga1325
flowinga1340
delugec1374
diluvec1386
Noah's floodc1390
overflowing1430
inundation1432
flowa1450
surrounding1449
over-drowninga1500
spate1513
float1523
drowning1539
ravine1545
alluvion1550
surundacion1552
watershot1567
overflow1589
ravage1611
inunding1628
surroundera1642
water breach1669
flooding1799
debacle1802
diluviation1816
deluging1824
superflux1830
whelm1842
come1862
floodage1862
sheet-flood1897
flash flooding1939
flash-flood1940
1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xvii. cxxvi. sig. Svv/2 And the places wherin suche Russhes growe is as marreys & moores by meedes & water breches [a1398 BL Add. in water brennynge; L. aquarum ripis].
1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. Contin. 1542/1 All that shall haue to doo either in hauens or great water breaches.
1638 H. Hexam tr. S. Marolois & A. Girard Art Fortification ii. 21 Ye shall see the approches made with gabions, or great Bassketts filled with Earth & woolsacks to stop the water breaches.
1669 W. Holder Elem. Speech 5 Bells serve to proclaim a scare-fire, and (in some places) Water-breaches.
1869 R. F. Burton Explor. Highlands Brazil II. vi. 89 A slippery hill, gashed with water-breaches, led to a wooded hollow.
1903 G. Carter Reigns David & Solomon 9 The rush of the Israelites was like the rush of a mighty water-breach, or mountain torrent.
2005 J. E. Wise U-505 vi. 74/2 After the depth charges had fallen, we got the message from the sternpost, ‘Rudder taken out—water breach!’
water breather n. an animal that is able to respire when submerged in water (typically by means of gills); contrasted with air breather.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by habitat > [noun] > aquatic animal
fishc825
aquatic?c1600
water animal1603
aquatile1638
water breather1832
rheophile1939
1832 M. Hall in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 122 328 It is especially necessary to compare the warm-blooded, the cold-blooded, the air-breathers, and the water-breathers.
1960 M. Burton Wild Animals Brit. Isles 163 After the disappearance of the gill-plumes, lungs are developed, and the animal [sc. a tadpole] changes from a fish-like water-breather to an air breather.
2004 Independent (Compact ed.) 4 Feb. 48/5 I think it is a genuine effect and something to do with the exposure of water breathers [to oestrogens in sewage effluent].
water-breathing adj. able to respire when submerged in water; characterized by this ability; contrasted with air-breathing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by habitat > [adjective] > aquatic
aquatic1642
water-breathing1827
nektonic1896
rheophile1934
rheophilic1939
rheophilous1941
1827 R. T. Gore tr. C. G. Carus Introd. Compar. Anat. Animals I. i. ii. 53 The nervous substance in Animals without Brain or Spinal Marrow..is extremely soft; and more peculiarly so in the water-breathing [Ger. Wasserathmenden] Animals of that description.
1961 J. Stubblefield Davies's Introd. Palaeontol. (ed. 3) vi. 158 The Dipnoi (Lung-fish) are interesting as being fishes which show how a transition from water-breathing to air-breathing life may have taken place.
2006 A. L. Val et al. Physiol. Trop. Fishes vi. 226 Many water-breathing species of tropical fish have evolved adaptations to enhance skimming of the O2-rich surface layers of the water.
water bus n. a boat (originally a steamboat, later more usually a motor boat) carrying paying passengers as part of a scheduled service.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel for transporting people or goods > passenger vessel > [noun] > water-bus
water omnibus1838
water bus1883
vaporetto1926
motoscafo1936
1883 ‘Mars’ Epic Miserable State Island of Grenada 29 In numbers greater they will flock Where now they hesitate, or mock, And seek the passage boat a heap, or water 'bus, all in for cheap.
1922 R. O. Ewan Mr. & Mrs. Europe ix. 58 As far as I can see the ‘water-buses’ [of Venice] obviate the necessity of swimming home from work, if you're not rich enough to afford a gondola of your own.
1940 Economist 21 Sept. 368/2 The waterbus service, which London Transport has been running..between Westminster and Woolwich and Greenwich, has won a popularity... It is an emergency experiment that may survive both air-raids and the war itself.
1999 Independent 16 July ii. 2/1 Brisbane has a fleet of fast catamaran water buses serving about 15 stops.
water candlestick n. now historical and rare a vertical tube filled with water, intended to hold a floating piece of wax candle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > candle > support or holder for a candle > [noun] > types of
standard1434
water candlestick1682
crusiea1774
spider1912
1682 J. Marlow Lett. to Sick Friend xl. 235 Our Bodies, like a Candle set in a Water-Candlestick, will last twice as long as otherwise it would.
1820 Royal Cornwall Gaz. 23 Sept. The candle was..burning in the water candlestick.
1952 Times 25 Sept. 8/6 A pair of Flemish water candlesticks brought £72.
water cannon n. a device for ejecting a powerful jet of water, originally used as a mining tool, later also in firefighting and as a means of dispersing crowds.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > fire, radiation, or chemical weapons > [noun] > guns discharging water
water-bow1632
water cannon1891
water pistol1897
1891 Cent. Mag. May 140/2 To facilitate the work of the monitor or water-cannon that shot the compressed stream, tunnels were run into the banks [of the mine].
1909 Fort Wayne (Indiana) Sentinel 6 Feb. Those deck mounted water cannon have forty-two mouths.
1932 Illustr. London News 2 July 6 (caption) A ‘water-cannon’ mounted on an armoured motor-lorry, in action against Berlin Communists.
1964 L. Deighton Funeral in Berlin xlii. 251 An American M.P. shouted, ‘You want a goddam water-cannon to wash you across the sidewalk, fella?’
1998 J. Sutton Wait for Waggon ix. 305 Fire-fighting skills improved with progression from stirrup pumps and buckets to the small water cannon on the Green Goddesses.
2011 New Yorker 2 May 80/1 The demonstrators..prayed unflinchingly..as they were assaulted by Hosni Mubarak's water cannons.
water-cell n. (a) any of numerous pockets in the wall of the rumen (first stomach cavity) in camels and related animals, (formerly) believed to be involved in the storage of water (now historical); †(b) (J. Tyndall's name for) a collection of water enclosed within glacial ice (obsolete rare).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > ice > body of ice > [noun] > bubble of water in
water-cell1812
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > family Camelidae (camel) > [noun] > parts of
water-cell1812
water bag1828
1812 A. Rees Cycl. (1819) XXII. at Mammalia In the young lama dissected by Cuvier, the paunch had an irregular globular figure... It was larger than all the other three stomachs together; two of the pouches contained square water-cells, similar to those of the camel.
1859 Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. V. 507/1 The beautiful provision of water-cells in the walls of the paunch or first cavity of the stomach [of a camel].
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xvi. 251 Water-cells may be transmitted from the origin of the glacier to its end, retaining their contents always liquid.
2006 M. Bright Beasts of Field v. 155 They [sc. dromedaries] do not store water in the so-called ‘water-cells’ in the stomach.
water chemistry n. chemical reactions involving or occurring in water; the chemical composition and properties of water; a branch of chemistry dealing with these.
ΚΠ
1877 Proc. Philos. Soc. Glasgow 10 334 We have an enormous system of water chemistry.
1937 O. Raber Water Utilization by Trees (Misc. Publ. U.S. Dept. Agric. No. 257) 3 Tree organic chemistry, like most chemistry, is water chemistry, in which water either enters directly into the reactions or else is required as a solvent for the reactions to take place.
2010 Irish Times 13 Nov. b6/3 Higher temperatures change water chemistry and the content of dissolved oxygen.
water chute n. a chute for water, in various senses of chute n.1; (in later use) esp. = water slide n. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > waterfall > [noun] > cascade > artificial
water shute1667
water chute1834
water slide1889
watershoot1897
1834 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 14 New Ser. 327 For an improved Water Chute, and Driving Wheel.
1895 Railway Times 31 Aug. 287/2 The skating rink, water-chute, switchback railway, and other similar concerns depending on the fleeting fancies of the public.
1946 Billboard 2 Nov. 66/2 Most of its [sc. Luna Park's] rides, including two large Coasters and a Water Chute, are of comparatively modern construction.
1998 Independent (Nexis) 28 Nov. 19 Water-chutes in the form of grotesque stone gargoyles sprout from the front of the south range.
2005 Y. Mieczkowski Gerald Ford & Challenges of 1970s xvi. 273 Ford slid across the deck, as if riding down a water chute, all the way to the port side.
water cider n. now chiefly historical a weakly alcoholic form of cider made by steeping refuse pomace in water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > cider > [noun] > types of cider
pippin cider1662
redstreak cider1664
water cidera1665
redstreak1671
moil1708
wring-jawa1804
champagne cider1810
rough1858
scrumpy1903
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > cider > [noun] > ciderkin or small cider
water cidera1450
purrec1623
pomperkin1637
water cidera1665
ciderkin1678
perkin1761
beverage1796
a1665 K. Digby Closet Opened (1669) 120 Doctor Harvey's pleasant Water-cider, whereof He used to drink much.
1784 L. S. Porcupine, alias Hedge-hog 27 The rich farmer's family lived upon nothing but salt-pork, water-cyder, Indian bread, and skim-milk.
1843 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 4 ii. 402 The dry pommey, or pulp, is thrown into water where it is allowed to macerate; and..again pressed, and affords..ciderkin, or water-cider.
1917 Sessional Papers Province Ont. XLIX. No. 35. 36 The cider mill men..put on as much pressure as it is possible to get on the mill and yet out of the pumice they can get water cider.
2014 Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Mass.) (Nexis) 3 Sept. The basic process involved..to make a cider that would have roughly between 4 and 8 percent alcohol content. A weaker version called ‘water cider’ was made for children.
water claw n. rare = dew-claw n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > dog > [noun] > parts of > (parts of) leg and foot
dew-claw1575
water claw1611
hare's foot1747
pastern1845
toe-tufta1858
trousersa1907
culotte1928
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Controngle, the Deaw-claw, or water-claw of dogs.
1819 Treat. Greyhounds 25 Many kinds of dogs have frequently what are termed water claws, or dew claws.
1917 Dogdom Nov. 545/1 I have an Airedale, twelve months old, that has water claws on its front legs.
water clerk n. †(a) (apparently) an official with responsibility for water supply (obsolete rare); (b) a clerk from a shipowner's or agent's office, who boards an arriving ship.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > selling > seller > sellers of specific things > [noun] > ship-chandler > assistant
water clerk1689
1689 R. Hooke Diary 22 Apr. in R. T. Gunther Early Sci. in Oxf. (1935) X. 115 Spake with Water-clerk in Barth[olomews] Lane to Mr Gofs about the water.
1845 Times 1 Oct. 9/2 (advt.) Wanted, a water clerk, at an outport in the English Channel.
1898 Barbados Freight Rep. in F. Holm-Petersen Fra Sejl til Diesel (1951) I. 335 Our Water Clerk will meet the Vessels on their entering the bay.
1973 P. Theroux Saint Jack xiii. 156 I knew my job as a water-clerk..and pored over the shipping pages of the Straits Times.
2014 Medway Messenger (Nexis) 21 Feb. I used to hire the Grey Motor Launch Company as linesmen for cargo ships at Crown Wharf where I was a ship's agent or water clerk back in the early nineties.
water company n. a commercial organization which undertakes to supply water to its customers (who formerly usually comprised the inhabitants of a particular town or district).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > business affairs > a business or company > [noun] > companies involved in specific business
misbeliefa1450
safeguarda1450
squatc1450
smearc1476
bleach1486
poulterer1534
water company1710
land-company1805
publishing house1819
railway company1824
oil company1827
bus line1843
rails1848
accountancy1860
art house1882
poulter1884
automaker1899
energy company1910
record label1926
label1930
utility1930
re-roller1931
prefabricator1933
seven sisters1962
energy firm1970
chipmaker1971
fragmentizer1972
fixit1984
infomediary1989
multi-utility1994
1710 W. Whitelocke & J. Dermer Case W. Grene (single sheet) He having been, thro' her and her Relations Means, made Clerk to the New-River Water Company.
1813 Examiner 24 May 325/2 The street being broken up by a Water Company.
1877 T. H. Huxley Physiography 28 An independent source of water was supplied by the great water-companies.
1905 J. B. Lippincott Water Probl. Santa Barbara (Calif.) 19 There are three available sites for storage reservoirs on lands owned by the water company on the Santa Ynez.
2012 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 7 Apr. (Gardening section) 9 A useful discipline is to get used to using a watering can. You'll have no choice if your water company has imposed a hosepipe ban, and the exercise will do you good.
water conditioner n. a device or substance used to improve the condition of water; spec. a water softener or water purifier.
ΚΠ
1938 Gen. Electric Rev. Mar. 16 (advt.) The Motorpump is often used as an integral part of washing or dry cleaning machines, water conditioners, machine tools, etc.
1995 Which? Sept. 54/1 Due to the unpredictability of physical water conditioners, British Water neither recommends nor discourages their use, but it doesn't allow its members to trade solely in them.
2003 Pract. Fishkeeping Aug. 99/4 Tapwater is toxic to fish. You need to add a special treatment called a dechlorinator or water conditioner to neutralise harmful chlorine or chloramine before you add water.
water content n. the amount or proportion of water which something contains (also in plural).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > element or proportion in a material
waterinessa1398
water content1848
1848 W. Pole tr. E. Alban High-pressure Steam Engine ii. 89 Boilers with a large water content work..much more regularly, even with a less regular firing.
1852 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 15 110/1 The water contents of the same mass of lower chalk, when dry, would be nearly 12,000,000 gallons.
1905 F. E. Clements Res. Methods Ecol. ii. 32 The total amount of water in the soil is divided into the available and non-available water-content.
1946 Nature 21 Dec. 899/2 Vitamin-like substances..in cells with assumed water-contents of 80 per cent.
2011 Wall St. Jrnl. 8 Oct. d7/2 For the purée..he prefers to use Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which have ‘lots of meat, low water content and a nice sweetness’.
water-cool v. transitive to cool (esp. part of an engine) by means of circulating cold water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > make cold [verb (transitive)] > cool > by circulating water
water-cool1864
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > operate engine [verb (transitive)] > cool
water-cool1864
1864 U.S. Patent 44,521 2/1 In casting cannons which have small bores the difficulties of keeping the cores straight and in the axis of the casting have wholly prevented their being water-cooled from the interior.
1915 W. E. Dommett Submarine Vessels v. 50 Due to the high temperatures, it is necessary to not only water-cool the cylinder, but also to cool the piston.
2009 R. Angara High Frequency High Amplitude Magn. Field Driving Syst. iii. 19 Ultrasonic actuators are provided with an arrangement to water cool the driving coil.
water-cooled adj. cooled by means of circulating cold water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > [adjective] > made cold or cool > by specific method
snoweda1682
water-cooled1872
air-cooled1899
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > [adjective] > cooled or cooling
water cooling1851
water-cooled1872
sweat-cooled1948
1872 U.S. Patent 123,799 1/2 Sulphurous-acid gas is produced, and is forced forward through the water-cooled curved pipe.
1905 Westm. Gaz. 23 May 4/2 A 12-h.p. water-cooled Lanchester car.
2004 J. Svoboda Magn. Techniques Treatm. Materials ii. 116 The magnetic field is generated by an iron-clad water-cooled solenoid.
water cooling n. cooling achieved by means of circulating cold water; frequently attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > [noun] > becoming or making cold > by circulating water
water cooling1851
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > coldness > [adjective] > making cold or cool > by circulation of water
water cooling1851
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > [noun] > cooling
water cooling1851
evaporative cooling1931
sweat cooling1948
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > [adjective] > cooled or cooling
water cooling1851
water-cooled1872
sweat-cooled1948
1851 M. M. Milburn Cow v. 93 The glass or zinc vessels are used, as wood is too slow a conductor of heat to admit of the carrying out of the water-cooling process.
1910 R. Ferris How it Flies x. 198 To keep the cylinder cool enough to be serviceable, two methods are in use: the air-cooling system and the water-cooling system.
2003 Independent 8 Oct. (Review section) 10/2 This causes processors to generate more heat, which is dispersed via bigger heat-sinks, variable-speed fans or through water cooling.
water-cord n. now rare cord suitable for use in water, esp. as a fishing line; (occasionally) a length of such cord.
ΚΠ
1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales I. xv. 254 Drive a plug in tight, attaching it first..to a water-cord, with corks sufficient to weigh the machine..and let it float out from the boat twenty or thirty yards.
1839 J. Cheek: Catal. Prices 11 in Young Angler's Guide (ed. 3) Eel lines, with 20 yards of water cord, 12 hooks, bullet, and winder.
1915 Chatterbox 22 July 349/2 To rig our [model] boat, get some fine water-cord.
1951 Blackwood's Mag. Aug. 110/2 Even small boys who ask for a hook and a length of water-cord are not allowed to complete their purchase unless Fred is satisfied that they know what they want and that it will be suitable for the purpose intended.
1966 Ottawa Jrnl. 14 May 16/3 Those fragile leaders of horsehair made all the difference to my fishing when tied to the end of the coarse green watercord we used as a running line then.
water core n. a physiological disorder affecting the flesh of apples (typically that surrounding the core), resulting in a translucent, water-soaked appearance, and occurring especially in fruit harvested when overmature; (also) the affected tissue.
ΚΠ
1849 H. Cowles in Ohio Cultivator 15 Nov. 339/2 Very probably science may yet show us that the water-core and the bitter-rot in the apple, result from the lack of some constituent element of food, essential to healthful growth and perfect development.
1922 Ann. Rep. Secretary State State Hort. Soc. Mich. 1919–20 188 Experiments have shown that 98 percent picked at the right time, placed in proper storage, will lose all the water-core.
2009 Times Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) (Nexis) 17 Nov. c3 A translucent, water-soaked appearance in the flesh of apples indicates water core, a condition that does not affect the eating quality of the raw fruit at first, but affected apples do not cook or store well.
† water-corn n. Scottish Obsolete a tax paid in grain by tenant farmers towards the upkeep of the dams and races of the estate mill.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > dues or tolls for upkeep or maintenance > [noun]
bridge-boteOE
bridge silverc1254
parkbotea1315
fosse-silver?a1325
pontagea1325
murage1424
pavagec1450
bridge money1482
fox-hen1528
jail money1600
water-corn1600
beaconage1607
castle-bote1628
burgh-bote1647
barbicanage1691
highway rate1697
fossage1757
mint duties1782
1600 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 354/2 Duas nonas partes molendini..cum multuris, sequelis, lie knaifschippis, lie watter coirnes, &c.
1658 S. S. Disc. True Standard-Gallon of Eng. 4 A Measure by which the Bushells to measure Water-Corn, should be made.
1795 Hatton Estate MSS in Sc. National Dict. (1976) X. 74/3 And also pay the Knavship, Rings and Services with Water Corn to the New Miln.
1814 Session Papers, Abstr. of Proof conc. Mill of Inveramsay 3 in J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. (1825) at Water-corn 1 boll of water-corn, being small corn, yearly, for each of the said three ploughs, for manufacturing and upholding the dams and water-gangs.
1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. Water-corn, the designation given to that grain which is paid by farmers, for upholding the dams and races of mills.
water court n. a court exercising jurisdiction over matters relating to a river or other tract of water, or to water rights.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > administration of justice > judicial body, assembly, or court > [noun] > courts dealing with maritime or river matters
water court1482
court of admiraltya1500
marine court1697
Court of the Watercourse1698
court of lodemanage1716
prize court1775
instance court1802
1482 in J. D. Marwick Charters Edinb. (1871) 169 All vthir custumys and priuilegis..with thare watir courtis attaichiamentis vnlawes and dewiteis.
1591 in R. P. Cruden Hist. Gravesend (1842) 203 Paid..for wine given to my Lords' men when the Water Court was kept 0 0 8.
1764 London Gaz. No. 10427/5 At a Sessions of Sewers or Water Court holden for the said Levells... It is ordered, that [etc.].
1855 Common Bench Rep. 15 26 Neither had the water-courts power to make such an order; for, though they might regulate the business, they had no power to restrain the rights of the freemen.
1980 Texas Monthly Nov. 340/1 When the company opens its legal battle for water rights in a Colorado water court.
2010 L. Madhuku Introd. Zimbabwean Law v. 76 There used to be a separate Water Court that regulated the use of public water among competing interests in Zimbabwe. From December 1979, all the functions of the old Water Court were taken over by the Administrative Court.
water culture n. the growing of plants in water, (in later use) esp. in an artificial system with or (usually) without a solid substrate; cf. hydroponics n.
ΚΠ
1803 A. F. M. Willich & J. Mease Domest. Encycl. (Amer. ed.) IV. 387/2 For the following directions respecting the water culture of Rice, the Editor is indebted to a friend.
1867 Amer. Agric. Ann. 72 A solution suitable for water culture may be perhaps most easily prepared after the plan of Prof. Wolff.
1946 A. Nelson Princ. Agric. Bot. xiv. 307 A technique of ‘water-culture’ or ‘solution culture’ is commonly employed.
2008 M. Raviv & J. H. Lieth Soilless Culture i. 6 Growing plants without soil has also been achieved through water culture without the use of any solid substrates.
water cushion n. (a) a cushion made of watertight material and filled with water, used as an alternative to a conventional cushion; = water pillow n.; (b) a depth of water or a water-filled structure or casing that acts as a buffer or as protection for something.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun] > sufficient depth to lessen impact
water cushion1838
1838 London Med. Gaz. 23 June 537/1 These water-cushions might be made extensively available in both hospital and private practice.
1839 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 23 199 (heading) On a water cushion for electrical machines.
1927 J. B. S. Haldane & J. S. Huxley Animal Biol. xiii. 304 This implied..the development of a protective water-cushion or amnion over the embryo within the egg.
1972 L. M. Harris Introd. Deepwater Floating Drilling Operations xvi. 169 The larger the water cushion [in a well], the larger the surface pressures required to unload it.
2012 PNG Post-Courier (Austral.) (Nexis) 7 Sept. 22 They will give out..50 waterbeds, 100 water cushions, more than 100 hearing aids and 100 crutches to people with disabilities.
water-deck n. [deck n.1 I.] Military (now historical) a large waterproof covering used to protect a cavalry horse's saddle or baggage.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping or management of horses > horse-gear > [noun] > other cloths
poitrel1490
bard1520
fore-cloth1526
bardingc1540
barb1566
pectoral1602
water-deck1721
rug1790
barbing1799
sweaters1828
quarter blanket1872
quarter cloth1894
peto1957
sweat rug1971
1721 in W. M. Myddelton Chirk Castle Accts. 29 Apr. (1931) II. 434 Pd John Price, sadler, for two sumphire Portmantles and 4 Brasses 3li 4s 0d, for a water Decke 18s.
1779 Morning Chron. 28 Aug. 1/1 (advt.) Water Decks of Oil Cloth properly prepared to cover baggage.
1844 Queen's Regulations & Orders Army 74 The supply of Corn Sacks, and Water Decks to the Cavalry.
1875 J. Grant One of Six Hundred xxii. 169 I also wish the corps to be supplied with water-decks.
2002 M. Chappell Brit. Cavalry Equipments 1800–1941 (rev. ed.) 11 Other items visible on the saddle..might be the messtin..and the water-deck.
water dial n. now historical and rare = water clock n.1
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > instruments for measuring time > [noun] > water-clock
water dial1546
water clock1601
water glass1633
clepsydra1646
hour water-ball1663
hydroscope1728
1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke ii. v. f. 44v The water dial [L. horologium] was vsed fyrst in Rome by P. Scipio Nasica ye ix.c. yere of the cytie to deuide ye houres of the day & night.
1849 N. Michell Ruins Many Lands iii. 204 A single Doric pillar, 60 feet high, with a large stone bason on the summit, stands at some distance south-west of the great platform; it is supposed to have been a water-dial.
2003 M. Reinberger Utility & Beauty iii. 73/1 A woman bent over a globe holding a clepsydra (an antique water dial) represented physics.
water dock n. †(a) a dock in which water is maintained at a level at which a ship is able to float; = wet dock n. 2 (obsolete); (b) a docking place for a boat.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > shipbuilding and repairing > shipyard or boat-yard > [noun] > dockyard > wet dock
wet dock1662
water docka1684
a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1661 (1955) III. 292 We tried our Diving bell, or Engine in the Water Dock at Deptford.
1836 Morning Chron. 11 Mar. (advt.) The wharf and water dock are 230 feet long, by about 68 feet in breadth.
1879 Weekly Notes Pennsylvania Supreme Court 5 June 85/1 B. owned the remaining portion of the wharf with a pier extending parallel with..A.'s pier. Between the piers was a water-dock.
1921 I. Clarke in E. J. Crampton Hist. St. Clair River 25/1 Just as I landed at my brother's water dock, Capt. Clarke, T. McIntire and Mr. March came running from the house.
1983 S. Woods Run before Wind ix. 60 We..motored up the Carrigaline River into Crosshaven and tied up at the water dock of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.
water dowser n. a person who searches for underground sources of water using a divining rod or similar technique; a water diviner.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the paranormal > [noun] > detection of radiation > detecting subterraneous springs, etc. > rhabdomancy > one who practises
water-finder1656
hydrophantic1729
spring-teller1785
water witch1808
rhabdomancer1817
water diviner1825
rhabdomantist1832
dowser1835
jowser1840
witch1843
water witcher1868
water dowser1873
hydroscopist1885
1873 Bristol Mercury 20 Mar. 4/5 Water dowser and well sinker.
1922 W. A. Tilden Chem. Discov. & Invention 20th Cent. (ed. 4) 2 In view of the too common credence accorded to..the water dowser, it is hopeless to expect to see the world freed from baseless superstitions.
2000 Associated Press (Nexis) 12 June Some water dowsers may have a talent for picking up clues from the landscape.
water dowsing n. the action of searching for underground sources of water using a divining rod or similar technique; = dowsing n. at dowse v. Derivatives; cf. water divining n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the paranormal > [noun] > detection of radiation > detecting subterraneous springs, etc. > rhabdomancy
rhabdomancy1646
water-finding1689
jowsing1797
rhabdology1837
water dowsing1894
1894 Birmingham Daily Post 7 Mar. 5/7 Mr. Beach asked the town clerk to..give opinion as to its [sc. the Act's] application to wizardry in general and water-dowsing in particular.
1930 T. S. Eliot tr. ‘St.-J. Perse’ Anabasis 63 Consecration of stones perfectly round, water-dowsing in dead places.
2014 Leigh Jrnl. (Nexis) 1 May The talk will..include a demonstration of water dowsing using divining rods.
water dressing n. Medicine (now historical) a dressing saturated with water; (as a mass noun) the application of such dressings.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical appliances or equipment > equipment for treating wound or ulcer > [noun] > poultice, plaster, or compress
plasterOE
clydec1325
emplastera1382
entretea1400
pottagea1400
poulticea1400
faldellac1400
treatc1400
Gratia Dei?a1425
magdaleon?a1425
strictorya1425
grace of Godc1450
emplastrum?1541
malagma?1541
sparadrap1543
spasmadrap?a1547
plasture?1550
mustard plaster1562
cataplasm1563
oint-plaster1578
quilt1583
compress1599
compression1599
diachylum-plaster1599
pulment1599
pulvinar1599
frontlet1600
sinapism1601
epithemation1615
diapalma1646
opodeldoc1646
attraction1656
treacle plaster1659
melilot emplaster1676
stay1676
oxycroceum1696
melilot plaster1712
adhesive1753
bag1753
mustard poultice1765
soap plaster1789
water dressing1830
poor man's plaster1833
compressor1851
spongiopiline1851
vinegar-poultice1854
water-strapping1854
pitch-plaster1858
jacket poultice1862
mustard leaf1869
mustard paper1874
piline1874
plaster-mull1890
mustard cloth1897
plaster-muslin1899
antiphlogistin1901
1830 Edinb. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 33 90 I have, notwithstanding, speedily cured several cases of superficial ulceration by water-dressing, but of which I have taken no notes.
1846 E. Bulwer-Lytton Confess. Water-patient 68 Water-dressings are found the best poultice to an inflamed member.
2000 Health & Hist. 2 125 He [sc. Robert Liston] advocated that frequently changed water dressings—plain lint dipped in cold water—be applied to wounds, a simple practice that constitutes one of his greatest contributions to surgery.
† water drink n. Obsolete water for drinking; a drink of water.
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OE Vercelli Homilies (1992) xxi. 352 He..sæde eac þæt man mid wæterdrinces sylene mihte him mycele ælmessan gedon.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 14482 Alls iff þu drunnke waterr drinnch. Vt off þe firrste fetless.
a1225 (?c1175) Poema Morale (Lamb.) 142 in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 169 Betere is wori water drunch þen atter meind mid wine.
a1350 Sayings St. Bernard (Harl. 2253) in F. J. Furnivall Minor Poems Vernon MS (1901) ii. 516 Þyn oune fleysh..most doþ þe to quelle... Wiþ-drah hym ofte of is breed, Ant ȝef him water drynke..Ant ofte let hym swynke.
water drive n. Oil Industry the action of using water to force oil out of an oil sand or other oil-bearing stratum; an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > drilling for oil or gas > [noun] > forcing in water or fluid
water injection1795
water drive1917
water flooding1926
repressuring1927
water flood1928
hydraulic fracturing1948
fracking1953
sandfrac1953
sandfracing1957
hydrofracturing1972
1917 F. H. Willcox Occup. Hazards Blast-furnace Plants 98 The irregular movement of a ‘water drive’ is also illustrated.
1973 C. J. May in G. D. Hobson & W. Pohl Mod. Petroleum Technol. (ed. 4) v. 165 When recovery was mostly by water drive, the percentage extraction varied from 24 to 78.
2011 Offshore (Nexis) Sept. 34 In general, you would expect water drive in the basal sands and less effective water drive in the shallower sands.
water drum n.
Brit. /ˈwɔːtə drʌm/
,
U.S. /ˈwɔdər ˌdrəm/
,
/ˈwɑdər ˌdrəm/
,
West African English /ˈwɔta ˌdrɔm/
any of various kinds of drum in which water is used in the production of sound; esp. (a) an American Indian drum partly filled with water to adjust the pitch and timbre; (b) a West African instrument played by striking a bowl or gourd floating upside down in a container of water.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > percussion instrument > drum > [noun] > other drums
taborinc1500
swash1533
war-drum1593
wolf-drum1605
saddle drum1617
tombak1662
tom-tom1693
goombay1790
rommelpot1790
rommelpot?1798
water drum1824
pahu1829
tabl1831
tambourin1832
dholuck1837
nagara1839
tree-drum1850
ngoma1860
talking drum1897
pot drum1907
friction drum1909
trap-drum1924
ghoema1934
tamboo1942
tassa1948
steel drum1952
conga drum1955
roto-tom1968
conga1969
Isukuti1972
steel pan1973
syndrum1979
1824 W. J. Burchell Trav. Interior S. Afr. II. ii. 67 The mellow sound of the water-drum.
1909 F. G. Speck Ethnol. Yuchi Indians 120 During this time at intervals a few taps were given on the water-drum.
1923 C. M. Barbeau Indian Days 120 A deep sound from the seer's lodge startled the people, a sound like that of a large water drum.
1970 P. Oliver Savannah Syncopators 106 Outstanding xylophone orchestras, kora, water-drum, harp and harp-lute.
2003 Whispering Wind May 16 In this tradition a special water drum was constructed and the drum head..painted with four special symbols.
water dust n. rare very small droplets of water suspended in air (as in fine spray or clouds) or formed by condensation on a surface. [Perhaps compare German Wasserdunst , lit. ‘water haze’ (mid 17th cent. or earlier; compare dust n.1), also Wasserstaub, lit. ‘water dust’ (18th cent. in this sense).]
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the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > in form of fine particles
water dust1714
1714 tr. M. Misson New Voy. Italy (ed. 4) I. ii. 363 There, this River..throws it self down from a steep Rock, three hundred Foot high, and falls into the Cavity of another Rock, against which the Water dashes with such Violence, that it rises like a Cloud of Water-Dust [Fr. un nüage de poussiere].
1873 J. Tyndall Forms of Water (ed. 3) 4 The liquid particles thus produced form a kind of water-dust of exceeding fineness, which floats in the air, and is called a cloud.
2000 J. A. Amato Dust 3 The vapor that condenses on a dry plate—water dust, so to speak—is 500,000 times thinner than a sheet of writing paper.
† water egg n. Obsolete rare an unfertilized egg; cf. wind-egg n. a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > infertility > [noun] > egg
water egg1577
unfertile1891
the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > reproductive substances or cells > [noun] > ovum or ootid > types of ovum
wind-egg1398
water egg1577
hypenemy1668
wormseed1733
pseudovum1858
unfertile1891
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iv. f. 169 Theodorus calleth them water Egges [L. urina ova], whereof there neuer commeth any thing.
water engineering n. the branch of civil engineering concerned with the construction of canals, reservoirs, embankments, aqueducts, water-supply infrastructure, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > engineering > [noun] > branches of
waterwork?a1560
civil engineeringc1770
water engineering1787
millwrighting1821
engineering science1826
hydraulic engineering1835
river engineering1842
structural engineering1859
industrial engineering1860
chemical engineering1861
sanitary engineering1868
biological engineering1898
control engineering1914
radio engineering1915
environmental engineering1946
systems engineering1946
bioengineering1950
value engineering1959
biomedical engineering1961
geoengineering1962
macro-engineering1964
microengineering1964
terotechnology1970
hydroengineering1971
civil1975
mechatronics1976
knowledge engineering1977
1787 Daily Universal Reg. 14 Apr. This seems the age of inland navigation and water engineering.
1850 Artizan May 97/1 The hydraulic works of the ancients for supplying towns with water..show that they understood water engineering in a general practical way very well.
1908 W. M. Ramsay Luke v. 191 Irrigation has never ceased and is still practised in certain districts, so that the essential principles of water-engineering have not been wholly forgotten.
2000 Thames Water Ann. Rep. & Accts. 14/2 Our exhibition at the Millennium Dome encourages young people to consider careers in water engineering.
water extract n. an extract of a substance made by dissolving or steeping it in water. [ < water n. + extract n., after German Wasserextrakt (1831 or earlier), itself after Swedish vatten-extrakt (1808 in Berzelius, or earlier).]
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1845 G. E. Day tr. J. F. Simon Animal Chem. I. 31 We..separate the extractive matter into two distinct parts, one, soluble in water, but not in dilute alcohol... The former..is termed water-extract [Ger. Berzelius Wasserextrakt].
1924 Med. Bull. Univ. Cincinnati Nov. 52/1 Guinea pigs are injected..with doses of a very dilute water extract (diluted with .9% NaCl) of ricin.
1992 W. T. Parsons & E. G. Cuthbertson Noxious Weeds Austral. 458/2 Water extracts from sicklepod have some allelopathic effects.
water-eynd n. [ < water n. + eynd n.] English regional (Norfolk) (rare) a thick mist extending inland from the sea; cf. water smoke n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > cloud > mist > [noun] > thick mist or fog > sea-fog
haar1662
sea fog1796
water smoke1813
fret1842
water-eynd1883
1883 G. C. Davies Norfolk Broads xxxv. 266 The ‘water-eynd’ or sea-smoke,..covers the marsh with a dense watery vapour.
1884 Chambers's Jrnl. 3 May 275/2 Another peculiar and uncomfortable phenomenon of the marshes is the water-eynd or sea-smoke, which, rolling up from the ocean, covers the whole landscape with a dense watery vapour.
† water-fare n. Obsolete a ferry.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel for transporting people or goods > [noun] > ferry
ferry1192
ferry boat1374
water-fare1610
transfer1883
cross-ferry1900
1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 534 Sometimes there was a Ferry or Water-fare [L. traiectum] heere.
water farm n. (a) a tract of land used for the collection or storage of water, or for the production of bottled water; (b) a tract of water used for raising fish, shellfish, etc. (now rare).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > fish-keeping, farming, or breeding > [noun] > fish-farm
farm1841
water farm1850
fish-farm1865
aquafarm1967
1850 Q. Rev. Sept. 500 Lands hitherto regarded as profitless wastes..spring into sudden value and significance as water-farms, adapted to afford us drink.
1865 Cornhill Mag. Jan. 60 At Whitstable, Faversham, and adjoining water farms.., a space of twenty-seven square miles is taken up in oyster culture.
1988 B. Luckingham Phoenix 248 Phoenix and other valley cities also purchased ‘water farms’ in the 1980s, acquiring agricultural lands throughout the state for their water rights in order to help ensure a future supply.
2004 R. Weber Foods from Farm 9 Some fish are raised in special water farms.
water farming n. (a) the management of water for agricultural purposes, or the use of land for the collection and storage of water (now rare); (b) the raising or cultivation of aquatic animals or plants for food; = aquaculture n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > fish-keeping, farming, or breeding > [noun]
pisciculture1807
water farming1811
fish-breeding1860
fish-hatching1862
fish-culture1865
aquiculture1867
mariculture1867
fish-farming1869
pond culture1883
aquaculture1887
aquafarming1896
sea-farming1962
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > [noun] > other systems of growing crops
water farming1811
catch-cropping1851
sharecropping1877
intercropping1898
intertillage1912
strip-cropping1936
alley farming1984
1811 Ipswich Jrnl. 5 Jan. The low land wheats, except where relieved by good water farming, have suffered materially by this ungenial weather.
1868 W. Peard Pract. Water-farming Pref. p. ix Water-farming..must be conducted with skill, care, and at least with some proportion of the capital now employed on the land.
1910 J. Mathews Conservation of Water iii. 65 It is enough to show here the need and the character of this water farming which is so necessary to irrigation farming in the west.
1960 Times 25 July 11/7 A duck-and-pond system of water-farming in Southern Rhodesia has netted over two tons of fish to the acre.
2000 P. Johnson & C. O'Brien World Food: New Orleans 38 Crawfish grow wild in the freshwater wetlands of Louisiana and, through aquaculture (water farming), provide the state with a profitable industry.
water feature n. (in a garden or public space) an ornamental structure containing water, such as a fountain, pond, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > fountain > [noun] > artificial
wellc1300
conduit?a1400
fountain1509
conduit-head1517
waterworka1586
water feature1841
the world > the earth > water > lake > pond > [noun] > ornamental
canal1664
water feature1841
1841 A. B. Granville Spas Eng.: Southern Spas x. 531 A little judicious management..would readily convert an insignificant streamlet into a pleasing ornamental water-feature in the landscape.
1900 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 7 May 5/1 (heading) Elaborate water features. Among the flowers and foliage plants will be many sparkling fountains to enliven the beauteous scene.
1989 A. Aird 1990 Good Pub Guide 371/2 Tables in garden with corner water feature.
2002 Independent 24 May 8/8 The craze for water features and rock gardens inspired by television shows has resulted in many beaches being stripped of pebbles and sand.
water feeder n. (a) an animal which feeds while in water; (b) a stream, channel, pipe, etc., which supplies water to something.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > other
well streamOE
letch1138
well strandc1429
pow1481
black water1483
wash1530
gravel-brook1591
spring branch1650
pour1790
water splash1820
chalk stream1829
understream1830
water feeder1831
quebrada1833
black spring1847
weir-stream1889
obsequent1895
anti-dip1900
resequent1901
misfit1910
1831 J. Rennie Insect Misc. 393 Insects with mandibles... Water feeders (Hydrodephaga).
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 972 No water-feeder of any magnitude should present itself till the shaft had been sunk 100 fathoms.
1852 J. Sewell Elem. Treat. Steam & Locomotion I. 254 The water-feeder..was connected to the boiler by the pipe B.
1881 St. Louis (Missouri) Globe-Democrat 29 Oct. 10/2 He..advocated a reservoir system in Minnesota to furnish water feeders to the river.
1922 Coal Age 30 Nov. 882/1 A water feeder having been tapped at the face of the heading.., the place was abandoned and a strong dam..built to prevent the flooding of the mine.
2006 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 22 Apr. 23 Birds' feet evolved according to feeding habitat—ground feeders have flat feet and walk, tree feeders have prehensile feet and hop, and water feeders have webbed feet.
water fence n. (a) chiefly North American a boundary or barrier in the form of a water-filled ditch (now rare); (b) a fence built in, over, or adjacent to water; spec. (in quot. 1671) †a wall built as a flood defence (obsolete); (c) (in horse racing, etc.) a hazard or obstacle consisting of a fence combined with a water-filled ditch.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > ditching or drainage > [noun] > ditch
dikec893
gripa1000
ditch1045
fosselOE
water-furrowlOE
sow1316
furrowc1330
rick1332
sewer1402
gripplec1440
soughc1440
grindle1463
sheugh1513
syre1513
rain?1523
trench1523
slough1532
drain1552
fowsie?1553
thorougha1555
rean1591
potting1592
trink1592
syver1606
graft1644
work1649
by-ditch1650
water fence1651
master drain1652
rode1662
pudge1671
gripe1673
sulcus1676
rhine1698
rilling1725
mine1743
foot trench1765
through1777
trench drain1779
trenchlet1782
sunk fence1786
float1790
foot drain1795
tail-drain1805
flow-dike1812
groopa1825
holla1825
thorough drain1824
yawner1832
acequia madre1835
drove1844
leader1844
furrow-drain1858
1651 in 1st Bk. Rec. Southampton (N.Y.) (1874) 79 Mr Iohn Gosmer [shall] have..authority to hier men or teams for the accomplishing of the water fence of the little plaine.
1671 J. Ogilby tr. A. Montanus Remarkable Addr. 57 The River Huang..whose Waters using to swell very high..they kept off from damaging the City, with a Wall, built where the Banks were lowest. This Water-fence the Emperor broke down.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry (1721) II. 202 Their Gardens lie all open, where Prospects may be had, and Water-fences can be made.
1786 G. Washington Diaries III. 34 Finished the Land sides of my Paddock fencing, and as a temporary expedient, set about water fences at each end.
1850 Bell's Life in London 10 Mar. 4/5 Victoria fell at the first fence... Brunette made the running to the water fence.
1852 J. Wiggins Pract. Embanking Lands 94 Such water-fences and drains must..be drawn all around the intake.
1923 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 8 May 43/4 The Fresh Pond at where was formerly the water fence of James L. Ahearn, which ran in to the pond at the mouth of the brook.
1938 Times 21 Feb. 4 [He] was again hurt when Delagrande fell with him at the water fence in the Newbury Steeplechase on Saturday.
1994 Washington Post 1 Sept. a1/2 People who swim to the base do so through the back of Guantanamo Bay, where they must get through a water fence constructed before the most recent refugee surge.
2008 Irish Times 19 Aug. 21/3 Lynch's mount recorded his first jumping error of the competition when he hit the tape of the water fence.
water festival n. a festival that involves or takes place on water; spec. (in South-East Asia) any of various festivals associated with the New Year, during which water is sprinkled or thrown on to those taking part as a symbol of cleansing.
ΚΠ
?1780 W. Hurd New Universal Hist. Relig. Rites 74/1 Another feast is called Sapan-Daiche, and it is properly one of their water festivals.
1896 National Mag. Sept. 551/1 The good work of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association is evident in the extraordinary water festival held on Lake Erie during the past month.
1923 D. A. Mackenzie Myths China & Japan xiv. 268 Dragon-boats were used in China on the fifth day of the fifth month at water festivals.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 20 Apr. a11/2 Thingyan, the traditional New Year, began Friday, and the water festival peaked the previous day.
water fight n. †(a) a battle that takes place on water (obsolete); (b) a fight, usually a play-fight, in which the participants throw, squirt, or splash water at each other.
ΚΠ
1610 A. Munday Londons Loue 23 In the euening..it was expected that the water Fight & Fire workes should haue bin perfourmed.
1670 J. Milton Hist. Brit. ii. 35 In such a various, and floating water-fight as was to be expected.
1842 N.Y. Herald 28 Apr. No. 2 [company] directed her pipe in the direction of No. 5's men, thereby returning the compliment of letting them ‘taste a little of fresh water’. Both parties..fell to in good earnest and had a regular ‘water fight’.
1880 Rose-Belford's Canad. Monthly Apr. 407/2 Sense of enjoyment in being ‘in the midst of it’, like children in a ‘water-fight’.
1903 R. V. Winterburn Spanish in Southwest xviii. 178 When the eggs gave out, a stormy water fight followed until everybody was drenched.
1957 C. Capa & M. Pines Retarded Children can be Helped ix. 134 ‘O.K.,’ he says, ‘now we'll have a water fight.’ The boys obviously enjoy this, whooping as they get wet.
2006 Men's Health Aug. 27/2 Innocent splishy-splashy water fights have an invariable habit of ending in an all-out hosepipe apocalypse.
water filter n. any of various devices for the filtration of water by physical, chemical, or biological means, to free it from suspended solids and other impurities, typically to render it fit for drinking.
ΚΠ
1821 J. Henderson Hist. Brazil 364 Gold, amianthus, stone for water-filters, limestone and grindstone, terra de cores, a sort of plaster for figures, also two or three species of rude marble, and potters' earth.
1882 Manch. Guardian 28 July 2/4 (advt.) Agent wanted, to sell an improved water filter.., with non-conducting chamber and ice pan or refrigerator combined.
1917 H. W. Conn Bacteria, Yeasts, & Molds in Home (rev. ed.) xv. 225 One type of water filter (the Pasteur, the Berkefeld, and the Chamberland) is able to remove bacteria from water and thus remove all danger.
2001 L. Perretta Brain Food 20/2 Carbon-type water filters are designed to collect impurities; microfiltration systems made from different materials filter out contaminants; and special ion-exchange resin filters are designed to remove heavy metals.
water flint n. English regional (southern) (now rare) a kind of flint (perhaps semi-translucent); a piece of such flint.
ΚΠ
1860 S. G. Finney Hints to Landlords, Tenants, & Labourers 2 The lower land consists of a thin staple..on a subsoil of very strong clay, in some places mixed with the water-flint, and in others with gravel.
1869 J. Thurnam in Archaeologia 42 208 The third flat-stone is a quartzose boulder of the kind known as ‘water flints’ in this part of Somersetshire.
1952 Surveyor & Munic. & County Engineer 111 324/1 Trial bores taken in 1947 revealed a bed of peat..underlain by 5-6 ft. of water flints, and a poor clay down to at least 30 ft.
water flux n. †(a) Medicine excessive production of urine, spec. that occurring in diabetes (obsolete rare); (b) the flow of water (as in a pipe, watercourse, etc.) or the passage of water through a membrane; the amount or rate of this.
ΚΠ
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 459 Both were named indifferently diabetes, dipsacus from the accompanying thirst, urinary diarrhœa, urinal dropsy, and hyderus..or water-flux.
1878 Detroit Lancet 68 668 All these writers described this affection as a species of water flux, or lientery, from the rapidity with which the fluids and solids of the body seemed to be converted to a crude and liquid mass.
1903 H. J. Ryan et al. Text-bk. Electr. Machinery I. i. 7 The lines drawn in the figure represent the direction of the water flux.
1950 Plant Physiol. 25 422 Frequently the rate of water flux is limited by the differential permeability of the protoplasmic membrane.
2005 Nature 14 Apr. 831/1 The Bering (1Be = 103 km3 yr−1) is a convenient unit of water flux for large-scale hydrological studies.
waterfoot n. originally and chiefly Scottish (now rare) the mouth of a stream, river, etc. (see also quot. 1887). [Attested earlier in place names, as Waterfoot, Renfrewshire (a1596 as Waterfood).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [noun] > mouth or outfall
mouthlOE
issue1423
firthc1425
estuary15..
fall1511
port1555
inset1559
water mouth1574
open1582
emboguing1603
ostium1611
inver1615
outfall1629
ostiary1646
influx1652
disclosure1660
discharge1688
waterfoot1730
outflux1739
embouchure1792
sortie1809
beal1819
debouchure1832
salting-place1842
embouchement1844
debouchment1859
ria1887
1730 in J. Imrie Argyll Justiciary Rec. (1969) II. 437 The said Archibald Campbell officer and his said assistants were driveing the said horses towards the said waterfoot.
1786 R. Burns Holy Fair xvi, in Poems 48 xxxxxxx, frae the water-fit, Ascends the holy rostrum.
1867 Trans. Hist. Soc. Lancs. & Cheshire (N.S.) 7 112 In so far as the adjacent heights are of much inferior elevation and the whole scenery less strikingly varied at the foot than at the head of the lake, it must be admitted that the Water-foot is comparatively tame and plain.
1887 D. Donaldson Jamieson's Sc. Dict. Suppl. Water-foot, Water-fit,..used also as the name of a village or town at the mouth of a river.
1897 W. G. Collingwood Bk. Coniston iii. 15 It will be convenient to take the steam gondola, and check off the landmarks seen on her trip..down to the waterfoot.
1913 Blackwood's Mag. Dec. 786/1 There's a sloop..at the waterfoot, and Pat Grant of Rothiemurchie is her skipper.
1948 A. McKerral Kintyre 17th Cent. vii. 61 An old fisherman at the waterfoot of Dunaverty used to keep one [sc. a skull] in his house for exhibition to visitors.
water footprint n. the water consumption of a business, person, etc., esp. with regard to its environmental impact; cf. footprint n. 8.In the United States often expressed in acre-feet (see acre-foot n. at acre n. Compounds 1).
ΚΠ
2002 Built Environment 28 106/2 The water ‘footprint’ of the cities keeps growing in the long-term, even if at a slower pace than in the past.
2004 Land Lett. (Nexis) 8 Jan. If the water footprint of the project was reduced from 10,000 acre-feet, the amount in the current proposal, to 3,400 acre-feet, farmers would still have enough water to irrigate their crops and orchards.
2008 Independent 21 Apr. 14/4 The concept of water footprints—or ‘virtual water’—will tell consumers the amount of precious H₂O that has been used in the manufacture of products they buy.
2010 Daily Tel. 16 Sept. 4/1 Major supermarket chains are already understood to be considering how to reduce their ‘water footprint’.
water fountain n. a fountain of water; (in later use usually) spec. a drinking fountain.
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the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > drinking place > [noun] > drinking fountain
water fountain?1557
watering stone1788
scuttlebutt1801
fountain1882
?1557 W. Blomfild Blossoms in E. Ashmole Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum (1652) 305 Lively water fountaines eke Beasts both tame and wild; Over shaddowed with Trees fruitefull on every spraye.
1716 Coll. State Songs, Poems, &c. since Rebellion 111 Away to the Mountains..Where you may drink of Water Fountains, Till I can your Wants supply.
1749 London Evening Post 7 Jan. (advt.) A curious Water Fountain, richly chased and embellish'd with various Ornaments.
1861 Prairie Farmer 2 May 283/3 You remember I promised them a design of a water fountain for the chickens.
1893 Amer. Amateur Photographer July 292 The characteristic image of the saint presiding over the public water-fountain.
1946 M. C. Self Horseman's Encycl. 429 Automatic water fountains are most useful for the stable.
1975 ‘E. Lathen’ By Hook or by Crook xxi. 194 A salt-tablet dispenser beside every water fountain.
2009 Independent 28 Feb. 5/2 Take an empty bottle through security and fill it at the water fountain ‘airside’.
water frame n. †(a) a frame or gate used to control the water in a millstream (obsolete rare); (b) a water-powered spinning machine, spec. of the type invented by the British inventor and industrialist Richard Arkwright (1732–92) (now historical).
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture of thread or yarn > [noun] > spinning > machine > types of
water frame1777
spinning-jenny1783
mule1791
mule jenny1792
throstle1792
jenny1796
muslin wheel1830
hand mule1831
self-shifter1834
ring frame1850
cap-frame1884
trap-twister1884
trap-winder1884
1777 L. Carter Diary 18 July (1965) II. 1114 My Mill dam was tried by it [sc. a downpour], for right over that unfortunate hole first occasioned by setting the Water frame in the bed of this race it sunk one foot down.
1793 J. Arthur Let. 9 Dec. in T. Jefferson Papers (1997) XXVII. 499 I will Engage to make a mashiene of evry Sort for the weft and a mule one water frame and the Preporation for the whole.
1814 Scots Mag. Dec. 904/1 The next improvement of spinning machinery was Arkwright's water-frame, by which that particular kind of yarn, termed engine or water-twist, is produced.
2004 B. Bunch & A. Hellemans Hist. Sci. & Technol. 260/2 As the water frame is too large and expensive to use in cottages, its invention leads to one of the key changes in Britain's Industrial Revolution, the introduction of centralized factories.
water-free adj. †(a) secure from damage by water, waterproof (obsolete); (b) free from or devoid of water.
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the world > action or operation > safety > [adjective] > safe or invulnerable > specific
pistol-proof1590
sword-proofa1593
fireproof1610
plot proofa1616
shot-free1616
stick-free1632
armour-proof1635
water-free1642
sting-free1644
iron-free1670
bomb-proof1702
ball-proof1759
bear-proof1840
bullet-proof1856
dingo-proof1873
aseismic1884
tamperproof1886
radioresistant1922
tamper-resistant1978
1642 T. Fuller Holy State iii. iv. 159 Two pillars set up by the sonnes of Seth in Syria, the one of brick, fire-proof; the other of stone, water-free.
1881 Mt. Barker (S. Austral.) Courier 17 June A healthy man consuming daily twenty-four ounces of water-free food would require twelve pints of good milk to make up that amount.
1940 Jrnl. Amer. Chem. Soc. 62 3455/1 If a water-free oxy-salt such as potassium dichromate is dissolved in a known amount of water [etc.].
2005 N. Howard Book v. 131 The ink was repelled by the watery parts of the stone but adhered to the oily marks from the crayon, which were water-free.
water-funk n. British colloquial (now dated) a person who is afraid to go into the water, or reluctant to wash; cf. funk n.4 2.
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the mind > emotion > fear > fear of particular things > [noun] > fear of water or the sea > one who has
water-funk1893
1893 Academy 5 Aug. 105/3 A sensible lad, who is not a ‘water-funk’—to use the expressive term of the period—..ought to swim in six or seven lessons.
1899 R. Kipling Stalky & Co. iii. 89 You spoke to Beetle yourself, didn't you? Something about not bathing, and being a water-funk?
1914 ‘I. Hay’ Lighter Side School Life (1915) viii. 210 The water-funk who ultimately schools himself into a brilliant high-diver.
1963 D. Young Try Anything Twice i. 20 Are ‘water-funks’ who fear the swimming-bath still derided?
water gardening n. the cultivation of water gardens; (also) gardening in which particular emphasis is placed on the use of water.
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the world > food and drink > farming > gardening > [noun] > types of gardening
curtilagec1430
kitchen gardening?1700
landscape-gardeninga1763
picturesque gardeninga1763
window gardening1801
landscape architecture1840
rock gardening1840
market gardening1852
water gardening1870
wild gardening1870
olericulture1886
market work1887
trucking1897
tub-gardening1904
landscaping1930
greenswardsmanship1936
godwottery1937
sand gardening1960
xeriscaping1987
1870 Rural Carolinian 1 490 (heading) Water gardening.
1873 Times 12 June 6/4 One of the finest triumphs in landscape or water-gardening, as exhibited in the free, unbroken current of the Serpentine river.
1901 E. T. Cook Gardening for Beginners 12 Since the love for water gardening and planting flowers by the streamside has developed, the Japan or Kæmpfers' Iris has become a popular flower.
1982 B. Chatto Damp Garden vi. 98 Water gardening on the landscaping scale is quite a different affair from the marginal plantings.
2001 Indianapolis Monthly May 92/1 The water-gardening boom currently under way in yards across the city.
† watergavel n. [ < water n. + gavel n.1] Obsolete a rent paid in return for certain water rights (not clearly identified, but see quot. 1691); cf. water toll n.
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society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > hire or rent > rent (land or real property) > [noun] > rents for specific types of property
watergavel1231
mead-gavel1235
fold-gabel1384
water-mail1395
house rent1427
stand mail1603
assartment1657
ground rent?1677
danger1693
mailing1725
1231 Charter Roll, 15 Henry III (P.R.O.: C 53/25) m. 10 Redditum..quem homines eorundem Huberti & Margarie de Manerio suo de Elmour nobis reddere solebant singulis annis per manum balliui nostri de Menstrworth nomine Watergauel.
1295 Inquisition Post Mortem (P.R.O.: C 133/71/22) m. 3 Est ibi [sc. Elmore, Gloucestershire] de Redditu qui vocatur Watergauel per annum xl.s. soluendo ad festum Purificationis beate Marie.
1691 Blount's Νομο-λεξικον (ed. 2) sig. Ffffv/1 Watergavel..was a Rent paid for fishing in, or other benefit received from, some River or Water.
water-gilder n. a practitioner of or expert in water gilding.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > gilding and silvering > [noun] > gilding > gilder > specific
water-gilder1725
card-edge gilder1829
parcel-gilder1884
1725 Daily Courant 20 May Having lost the Use of his Hands by working in Quick-silver, [he] is thereby render'd incapable of getting his Living, (being by Trade a Water-Gilder).
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. II. 931 Until lately water-gilders made use of mercury for depositing gold on metallic surfaces.
1995 K. McCloud Techniques of Decorating (1998) 100/1 For centuries, water-gilders have practised the highly skilled art of laying loose sheets of gold over layers of damp glue.
water gilding n. any of several methods of gilding, esp. a method of gilding metal using gold amalgam or an aqueous solution of mercury, and a method of gilding wood, leather, etc., in which gold leaf is applied to bole (contrasted with oil gilding); (also) gilt, or an area of gilt, produced by any of these methods.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > gilding and silvering > [noun] > gilding > methods of
parcel-gilding1519
water gilding1703
leaf gilding1746
matting1758
fire gilding1831
mercury gilding1870
pink gilding1873
honey gilding1954
1703 W. Salmon Collectanea Medica Catal. Authors Books Polygraphice...containing..3. Of Painting, Washing, Coloring, Water Gilding.
1775 tr. Valuable Secrets Arts & Trades 169 To gild silver in water-gilding without the assistance of mercury.
1816 Edinb. Encycl. (1830) X. 279/1 This [sc. leaf gilding] is sometimes called water gilding, because the size or gum is mixed up with water; but as this term is also applied to the wash gilding by mercury, it should be avoided.
1855 G. Gore Pract. Chem. 72 The following solutions have been used for gilding by the simple immersion, or ‘water-gilding’ process.
1907 Sc. Hist. Rev. 4 434 The background to the lettering [on the binding] has originally been decorated with water gilding, now almost disappeared.
2006 New Yorker 27 Mar. 43/1 The shinier effect of a burnished water-gilding, would be reserved for the corners.
water-gilt adj. and n. (a) adj. that has been gilded by water gilding; (b) n. water-gilt material; (also) gilt produced by such a method.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > gilding and silvering > [adjective] > gilded
gildedOE
giltc1330
ygilt1340
gilteda1400
gold-hewna1400
gold-beatenc1400
gold-beata1413
overgilta1425
parcel-gilt1453
party-gilt1469
begilded1594
inaurated1623
parcela1625
begilta1637
water-gilt1707
inaurate1855
1707 Daily Courant 1 Feb. Lost on Thursday Night last, about 10 a Clock,..a plain Silver-hilted Sword in an old Red Belt Water-gilt.
a1776 Duchess of Northumberland Diary in Country Life (1974) 7 Feb. 251/3 The Water Gilt Locks..were made at Birmingham.
1898 Westm. Gaz. 28 Oct. 4/2 A Processional cross... The materials employed are silver, water-gilt, carbuncles, green onyx, and enamel.
1906 N. H. Moore Collector's Man. x. 256 The use of metal mounts, made usually of handsome hand-worked or cast brass, and in finer pieces, of water gilt.
1931 E. Ferber Amer. Beauty i. 23 Oh, my gracious, look at that knocker. It's an Adam, gilded with water gilt.
2001 Burlington Mag. Feb. 113/2 White marble sculpture, even more than water-gilt furniture, is seldom seen to advantage lit brightly from above.
water gin n. now historical a machine or mechanical apparatus, esp. a hoist, powered by water (cf. gin n.1 5b).
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1660 ‘R. D'Acres’ Art Water-drawing Pref. The innumerable shapes, and various forms and fashions of Water-Gins.
1777 J. Smeaton Reports (1812) II. 435 Designs for the fire engine and water gin.
1871 Southern Cultivator Aug. 305/2 The cost of putting up a water gin depends very much upon circumstances.
1947 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Arts 95 583 For winding coal the horse or water gin yielded to the steam winder.
2004 K. M. Brown Noble Society Scotl. (new ed.) ii. 59 The scarcity of surface coal and the introduction of water gins encouraged owners to dig ever deeper.
water globe n. (a) a wooden ball which burns while floating on the water; = waterball n. 3 (now historical and rare); (b) a water-filled glass globe used to focus light (cf. waterball n. 2) (now chiefly historical); (c) U.S. a toy or ornament in the form of a transparent globe or dome that encloses a liquid in which particles or bubbles move, typically around a model of a scene, when it is shaken; cf. snowstorm n. 2.
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the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > [noun] > other specific artificial lights
waterball1665
water globe1696
episcotister1905
1696 R. Howlett School Recreat. (new ed.) 26 Of Artificial Fire-works for Recreation... For the Water-Globes or Balls, double Rockets, and single Rockets.
1729 G. Shelvocke Jr. tr. K. Siemienowicz Great Art Artillery iv. 182 (heading) Of the Compositions for Water-Globes or Balls, which burn as well upon the Water as in it.
1897 A. Hartshorne Old Eng. Glasses 60 The retorts of the alchemist and the water-globes for the poor Flemish flax-thread spinners.
1940 Billboard 17 Feb. 50/3 Scenic novelties come to the fore... The line includes water globes, plates and ash trays.
1960 R. McLean Wood Engravings Joan Hassall 8 She engraves at an ordinary table, with electric light through a water-globe.
1991 Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 17 July d1/2 A collector of snowdomes (or waterballs, shaky toys, snowfall paperweights, blizzard weights, water globes etc.).
2002 O. Gal Meanest Foundations & Nobler Superstructures i. 45 The water globe, which Hooke used regularly in his microscopic observations, lacked any theoretical pretension.
water glue n. (a) = isinglass n. 1 (also called fish glue) (now historical and rare); (b) any water-based glue or adhesive.
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society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > other manufactured or derived materials > [noun] > from animals
gold skin1507
mouth gluec1540
water glue1542
isinglass1545
gold-beater's skin1710
sea-glass1753
book1765
bone1812
mist1852
staple isinglass1879
mist1896
mis1958
1542 T. Elyot Bibliotheca Icthyocolla, a fyshe of whose skynne water glewe is made, and the same glue is also called Ictyocolla [sic].
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Glue The Fish which is made use of to make Water-glue is very large.
1909 Milk & Relation to Public Health Hygienic Lab. Bull. No. 56 286 This formula was only used by the best family ice cream purveyors..; the ‘lordly mushroom’ compounders could not afford to drop the large doses of water glue that enabled them to work up into ‘the only absolutely pure ice cream’.
1971 Leonardo 4 206/2 When I make large negative reliefs, requiring placement of hundreds of objects, I add water glue to the plastic mix to prolong the setting time.
1998 RSA Jrnl. 146 62/2 The water glue would not be any good in an environment in which the temperature could rise to above the freezing point of water.
water-gold n. now rare gilt produced by water gilding; = water-gilt adj. and n. (b); also figurative.
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > gilding and silvering > [noun] > gilding > gilt
goldeOE
gilt1429
water-gold1634
oil gold1710
gilt-bronze1745
honey-gold1852
vermeil1858
pink gold1873
honey gilding1954
1634 J. Bate Myst. Nature & Art iv. 163 (heading) How to gild Silver, or Brasse, with water-gold.
1799 tr. Laboratory (ed. 6) I. ii. 72 The amalgam of gold with mercury..is used principally by the workmen in gilding in water-gold, termed water-gilders.
1840 E. W. Lane tr. Thousand & One Nights (1841) III. xxii. 220 I command thee to build for me, during this night, a lofty palace, and to decorate it with water-gold.
1855 R. Browning Old Pictures in Florence i, in Men & Women II. 30 In the valley beneath, where, white and wide, Washed by the morning's water-gold, Florence lay out on the mountain side.
1923 D. H. Lawrence Ladybird: Fox: Captain's Doll 27 Her hair glinted heavy, like water-gold.
water gravy n. chiefly U.S. regional (now chiefly historical) a type of gravy made from meat fat, water, and (typically) flour.Water gravy is generally regarded as an inferior foodstuff, a cheaper alternative to milk gravy or meat.
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1848 Satirist 9 Jan. 10/2 The dishes provided for the brothers are of the most coarse description, soothed or soddened with water gravy.
1916 Scribner's Mag. Dec. 757/2 A meal of fried fat meat, water gravy, and stale bread stimulated Mamie's spirits..for the evening's banquet.
2010 N. Dane Long Way to Go ii. 38 I was looking forward to having a little milk to cook with. Water gravy ain't much good.
water grist mill n. now historical a grist mill powered by water; cf. watermill n. 1.
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the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation of grain > milling or grinding > [noun] > corn-mill > other types of mill
water corn mill1327
watermill1371
quern mill1590
water grist mill1636
tide-mill1640
parish mill1676
whin-mill1793
roller mill1828
saddle quern1867
walk-around1869
kibbler1882
1636 R. Powell Depopulation 85 Suffering the farme houses with their outhouses to bee ruined and uninhabited, and a water-grist Mill to decaie and goe to ruine.
1786 T. Jefferson Writings (1859) II. 12 A water-grist mill for grinding the corn of the neighborhood.
1819 Times 21 Sept. The Manor, or reputed Manor, of Little Bedwin, in the county of Wilts, with..a newly-erected water grist mill.
2007 R. Sanders Generations x. 305 Nathaniel also, in 1790, filed a petition for leave to build a water grist mill on the North Fork of Elkhorn.
water gun n. †(a) a gun in which the projectile is ejected by water pressure (obsolete); (b) a gun, esp. a toy gun, designed to shoot a jet of water; cf. water pistol n.
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society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > small-arm > [noun] > gun using water as propellant
water gun1646
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica ii. v. 89 There are wayes to discharge a bullet..without any powder at all, as is done by water and windegunnes. View more context for this quotation
1780 Parl. Reg. 1775–80 XV. 207 The noble Viscount..had never seen any gun discharged, [b]ut a pop or water-gun, yet he was now..promoted to the command of a battalion!
1846 Methodist Q. Rev. July 445 They then took a water gun, constructed of the barrel of an old musket, and through the chinks between the logs sent a jet of the boiling water into the faces and eyes of the assailants.
1992 Esquire July 18/2 I like to drench my friends in the dorm with a huge army water gun.
2013 New Yorker 25 Nov. 93/1 Inside, a Super Soaker water gun lay on a bed of iridescent tinsel.
water harvesting n. the capture and storage of water, esp. rainwater or grey water, for later agricultural, industrial, or domestic use.
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1945 North Western Courier (Narrabri, New S. Wales) 28 June 2/3 (heading) Water ‘Harvesting’.
1964 Jrnl. Arizona Acad. Sci. 3 64/2 Water harvesting is the term used to designate the treatment of land areas for the purpose of increasing and collecting runoff.
2006 Independent on Sunday 1 Jan. 12/2 There's talk of a wind turbine on the roof and a ‘water harvesting’ system to recycle bathwater for the washing machine.
water haul n. U.S. colloquial (originally Midwest) a haul of a fishing net which catches nothing; figurative a fruitless effort.
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the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [noun] > a profitless undertaking
wild-goose race1594
wild goose chase1597
fool's erranda1629
job1680
water haul1823
rainbow chase1840
Sisyphism1846
blind alley1854
fool's gold1870
mug's game1900
Saltash luck1914
dead end1922
boondoggle1947
1823 J. Taylor Hist. Baptist Churches 130 The whole of this tour, disagreeable as it was, I considered an entire water hall [sic].
1843 Indiana Palladium 3 June The best, sometimes, have ‘fisher's luck’; But rain or shine, whate'er befall, He [sc. the devil] never gets a water haul.
1848 Huron Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) 4 July Several pulls came up ‘water hauls’, and after two hours' toil and anxiety, the party concluded to give up the search.
1882 Critic (Washington, D.C.) 23 Feb. Ostensibly I went to testify as an expert in the Star-route cases, but I did not testify. You know that was another water-haul.
1903 Recreation Sept. 186/2 John and Billy came in about the same time, but their's had been miserable luck, a regular water haul.
1978 W. B. McCloskey Highliners (1980) vii. 92 The Rondelay delivered a puny load after a day of virtual waterhauls with tons of kelp and stingers.
2012 Cape Gaz. (Lewes, Delaware) (Nexis) 20 Jan. Boaters had decent fishing while jetty jockeys and surf casters enjoyed a water haul.
water hazard n. (a) Golf a hazard incorporating water; cf. hazard n. 7; (b) (in horse racing, showjumping, etc.) an obstacle featuring a body of water which has to be jumped or otherwise negotiated.
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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > golf course > [noun] > hazards
hazard1744
blind hazard1816
bunker1824
sand-bunker1824
sand1842
break-club1857
water hazard1889
trap1890
casual water1899
pot bunker1899
sand-trap1922
1889 Times 14 Oct. 7/2 Since the last meeting a water hazard has been made crossing the 14th hole.
1905 Scotsman 7 July 8 The gelding cleared them all neatly, until the water hazard was reached, when, evidently exhausted, he fell.
1989 Sports Illustr. 18 Dec. 39/3 A water hazard bordered the fairway to the right.
2011 M. Major & F. D. Smith Ranch-horse Versatility xii. 153/1 Optional obstacles can include a water hazard, hobbling or ground-tying a horse, [etc.].
water heater n. a device for heating water (typically for domestic use).
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the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [noun] > a device for heating or warming > for heating water
water heater1824
water bar1843
geyser1878
chip heater1900
immersion heater1914
instantaneous (water-)heater1935
back-boiler1939
fridge-heater1957
1824 Mementoes, Hist. & Classical II. xxxi. 158 For the Kitchen there are pots, stewing pans, gridirons,..urns, and water heaters.
1925 Woman's World (Chicago) Apr. 30/1 (advt.) There are four Perfection Kerosene Water Heaters of different styles and prices.
2003 Pop. Sci. Nov. 21/1 An integrated HVAC Device includes a water heater, a fuel-cell-powered electric generator, a space heater and an air conditioner.
water heck n. [ < water n. + heck n.1] English regional (northern) (now rare) a barred frame or similar obstacle placed across a stream at a shallow point to prevent the passage of cattle; (sometimes more generally) any barrier placed in water to prevent the passage of cattle.
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the world > space > relative position > closed or shut condition > that which or one who closes or shuts > a barrier > [noun] > in a river > to prevent passage of cattle
water-hedge1639
water heck1868
1868 J. C. Atkinson Gloss. Cleveland Dial. 560 Water-heck, the barred wooden frame of equal width with a stream and hung across a shallow part of it, to prevent cattle, &c., from passing along the shallow and so straying from their proper limits.
1875 W. Dickinson Cumbriana 233 Gittan on to Crossyat's beck, A white thing flasht his een across, And sat and screecht on t' watter heck.
1887 Archaeologia Aeliana New Ser. 12 162 This was for bushes to be suspended from to prevent cattle passing under the bridge... Other bridges were barred by a water heck.
1926 Trans. Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archæol. Soc. 26 477 Apparatus to work a grille, something after the principle of a water heck.
† water-hedge n. Obsolete = water heck n.
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the world > space > relative position > closed or shut condition > that which or one who closes or shuts > a barrier > [noun] > in a river > to prevent passage of cattle
water-hedge1639
water heck1868
1639–40 in Quarter Sessions Rec. (N. Riding Rec. Soc.) (1886) IV. 161 Indenture of Conveyance..Together with all and singular wayes, water-hedges, trees, ditches, fences, etc.
water icing n. = glacé icing n. at glacé adj. Additions.
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the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation for table or cooking > garnishing > [noun] > icing or sugar coating
icing1683
frosting1750
piping1846
fondant1861
water icing1881
buttercream1908
sugar-coating1908
rolled fondant1962
1881 J. T. Gill Compl. Bread, Cake & Cracker Baker ii. 111 Cover with water-icing and roll it in pulverized sugar.
1889 R. Wells Pastrycook & Confectioner's Guide v. 43 After they are baked and a little cool, just tip them on the top with a little water icing.
1922 Good Housek. Apr. 65/1 To make this water icing, add water, milk, or cream to confectioners' sugar, sufficient to make an icing that will spread smoothly and evenly on the cake.
2007 R. Brown Cake Decorating Basics (2008) 71/1 Never use glacé icing, also known as water icing, for piping. It is too runny and will end up looking a mess.
water-inch n. [ < water n. + inch n.1, after French pouce d'eau (1642 or earlier)] now historical and rare a measure of water discharged through an orifice, consisting of the quantity of water flowing through a one inch (in diameter) circular opening in a vertical plate, at a given (usually small) pressure.
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the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or process of flowing > [noun] > unit of water flow measurement
water-inch1847
inch1858
miner's inch1865
second-foot1898
1847 J. R. & L. D. B. Gordon tr. J. Weisbach Princ. Mech. Machinery & Engin. I. vi. viii. 506 The ‘pouce d'eau’, or water-inch.—To measure small discharges, we avail ourselves of the flow through round 1 inch wide orifices, in a thin plate, under a given pressure.
1910 Encycl. Brit. XIV. 53/1 The discharge from a circular orifice one French inch in diameter, with a head of one line above the top edge, was termed by the older hydraulic writers a water-inch.
water injection n. (a) Medicine injection of water into the body; an instance of this (now rare); (b) Mechanics the injection of water into the cylinders of a piston engine or the air intake of a jet engine, to produce cooling and increase engine efficiency; (c) Oil Industry injection of water into a reservoir rock in order to force oil into production wells; = water flooding n.
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society > occupation and work > industry > drilling for oil or gas > [noun] > forcing in water or fluid
water injection1795
water drive1917
water flooding1926
repressuring1927
water flood1928
hydraulic fracturing1948
fracking1953
sandfrac1953
sandfracing1957
hydrofracturing1972
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > internal-combustion engine > [noun] > piston > injection of water into
water injection1795
1795 J. Latta Pract. Syst. Surg. III. vi. 667 Febrile symptoms, with pain and heat in the stump, began to come on the day after the operation; for which he was blooded in the arm to twelve ounces, and had a large water injection.
1847 J. Shew Water-cure Man. ii. i. 181 She took water injections daily.
1904 Med. News 2 July 42/1 He detailed his experience with urethritis in the male, and referred to hydrogen dioxide and unirritating germicidal solutions as substitutes for plain water injections.
1919 L. H. Morrison Oil Engines xxiii. 410 The principal use of water injection is the control of the temperature of the hot bulb or combustion chamber.
1943 Oil & Gas Jrnl. 11 Nov. 230/2 The economic possibilities of experimental water injection were clear.
1970 M. Smith Aviation Fuels ix. 62 By means of water injection, heat is taken away from the cylinders, pistons and exhaust valves, and removed out of harm's way by the steam so formed.
2008 Wall St. Jrnl. 22 Apr. a20/3 With the data, the company built models to simulate how the [oil] field might respond to water injection.
water insecurity n. the state or condition of not having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of water, esp. clean drinking water; cf. water poverty n., food insecurity n. at food n. Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1973 M. G. Finn Supervised Agric. Credit in Peru (Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Wisconsin) iii. 50 The coast, in spite of water insecurity, is the best agricultural region in Peru.
2021 Financial Express (New Delhi) (Electronic ed.) 30 May Rainwater harvesting and water recycling strategies can further provide water independence for buildings, an invaluable resource for areas like Chennai that experience water insecurity.
water-insoluble adj. insoluble in water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > density or solidity > state of being solid rather than fluid > [adjective] > insoluble in liquid
indissoluble1666
insoluble1713
unsoluble1756
insolvable1823
water-insoluble1897
1897 Farmers' Bull. (U.S. Dept. Agric.) No. 56. 14 Not until after some weeks did the clover, tomatoes, and in one case the corn, begin to make any perceptible use of the water-insoluble phosphates.
1946 Nature 16 Nov. 709/2 The black, water-insoluble pigment.
2013 Post Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 26 Mar. d8/4 Super Glue and similar products are water-insoluble once a bond is created between dry surfaces.
water-intoxicated adj. Medicine affected by water intoxication (water intoxication n. (b)).
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered nutrition > [adjective] > having excessive water intake
water-intoxicated1934
1934 Jrnl. Amer. Dental Assoc. 21 1276/1 Dr. Imamura made a study of animals that died from an oversupply of water. He found atrophy of the formative organs of the teeth, [etc.]... He gave the condition the designation ‘water intoxicated teeth’.
1937 Amer. Jrnl. Physiol. 119 557 The serum sodium and chloride levels are low in the water intoxicated animal.
1977 Comprehensive Psychiatry 18 184 A 9½ yr old boy..developed a severe toothache and began drinking large quantities of water for the relief of his pain, as a result of which he became water intoxicated and had a convulsion.
2008 R. M. Perkin et al. Pediatric Hosp. Med. (ed. 2) xiv. 88/1 In the water-intoxicated patient, spontaneous water diuresis occurs so rapidly that treatment with hypertonic saline usually is unnecessary.
water intoxication n. Medicine †(a) drunkenness resulting from contamination of a water supply with alcohol (obsolete rare); (b) a condition resulting from excessive water intake or administration, or from impaired water excretion, characterized by headache, nausea, unsteadiness, and confusion, progressing in severe cases to convulsions, coma, and death.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered nutrition > [noun] > excessive thirst or intake
polydipsia1661
water intoxication1861
theism1886
1861 All Year Round 14 Sept. 600/1 As the weather got much colder, no more mysterious cases of water-intoxication were heard of among the females of the household.
1921 Trans. Assoc. Amer. Physicians 36 409 During the course of clinical studies certain observations were made which led to experiments in animals relative to water balance and water intoxication.
1974 R. Passmore & J. S. Robson Compan. Med. Stud. III. xlix. 8/2 Water intoxication should be considered in any patient with unexplained cerebral dysfunction, particularly if the individual has recently undergone an operation.
2009 Independent 4 Nov. 13/4 Too much [water] can result in water intoxication, hyponatraemia (low salt levels) and even death.
water jacket n. †(a) a waterproof jacket worn by a kayaker and fastened to the opening of the cockpit to exclude water (obsolete rare); (b) a casing containing water, placed around something to control its temperature.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > wrapping > [noun] > encasing or sheathing > that which > air- or water-jacket
air jacket1764
water jacket1831
1831 J. Koegel Let. in Periodical Accts. Missions Church United Brethren (?1833) 12 113 The young man accompanying us in his kayak was overset, and not having his water jacket with him (which is fastened round the rim of the seat), the kayak was filled with water.
1841 Repertory Patent Inventions 16 86 The exterior case, e, is not shewn in the drawing, as surrounded with a water-jacket, but it is intended to fit such an addition to the apparatus.
1898 R. Kipling Fleet in Being ii. 19 Three Maxims [sc. machine guns] adorned the low nettings. Their water-jackets were filled up from an innocent tin-pot before the game began.
2004 Backwoods Home Mag. Jan. 62/1 The second hot water coil is piped to a second circulating pump and a hydronic water jacket built into our masonry fireplace.
water-jacketed adj. provided with a water jacket (water jacket n. (b)).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > wrapping > [adjective] > wrapped > encased > in a water-jacket
water-jacketed1860
1860 U.S. Patent 28,272 1/1 The nature of my invention consists in providing an annular water jacketed chamber, of any suitable metal, connected with water passages to and inclosing the upper part of boiler.
1922 T. M. Lowry Inorg. Chem. xli. 764 A blast of air..is led into the lower part of the furnace through water-jacketed nozzles known as tuyeres.
2002 R. D. Treloar Plumbing: Heating & Gas Installations (ed. 2) ii. 90 Instantaneous heaters include multi-points, water-jacketed tube heaters and combination boilers.
water jacketing n. the provision or use of a water jacket; (also) a water jacket itself.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > wrapping > [noun] > encasing or sheathing > that which > air- or water-jacket > encasing in
water jacketing1859
1859 Birmingham Daily Post 12 Sept. 4/4 The grand saloon or ladies' drawing-room is, or rather was, traversed by two of the five gigantic funnels of the ship, and it was thought that the temperature would be much too high unless this system of water jacketing or casing was adopted.
1912 Hub May 51/2 Suitable glands are provided for the water-jacketings.
2013 H. Chen Mod. Solid State Fermentation iv. 166 The temperature and humidity of the entire reactor can be controlled by forced ventilation or water jacketing.
water joint n. (a) a watertight joint; (b) a masonry joint designed to deflect rain and snow; = saddle joint n. 3a.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > building or providing with specific parts > specific parts built or constructed > [noun] > joint > types of
gemew?a1400
match-joint1683
matched joint1688
joggle1703
water joint1810
pin-joint1835
shackle-joint1837
screw shackle1847
through-joint1851
joggling1858
leg joint1858
splice1875
bed-joint1876
butting joint1887
saddle joint1901
contraction joint1909
1810 Trans. Soc. Encouragem. Arts, Manuf. & Commerce 28 77 The other elbow B goes into a water-joint, formed of a tube affixed to the cover of the purifier.
1914 Gas Engine May 280/1 The water joint at the front of the liner..is formed of an India-rubber ring pressed into position by a cast-iron gland held by studs to the jacket.
1930 Amer. Artisan 99 ii. 99/3 The inside bottom is turned for a water joint with the masonry.
2006 F. Saxon Tolley's Domest. Gas Installation Pract. (ed. 4) ix. 467 Flush out the system thoroughly check all water joints and make good any leaks.
water jump n. a place where a horse is required to leap a stream or ditch; (later more usually) an obstacle in a showjumping competition or steeplechase, in which a horse is required to jump over or into water.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > racecourse > [noun] > obstacles
leap1692
fence1839
water jump1840
flight1851
jump1858
oxer1859
showjump1884
pianoforte jump1908
pianoforte obstacle1909
1840 Bell's Life in London 1 Mar. It is expected eight or nine will start over a fair hunting country with a clear water jump of about six yards.
1883 M. E. Kennard Right Sort xx. 216 Take a good firm hold of his head, and set King Olaf just as fast as you please at the water jump. He'll clear it by yards.
1902 F. Mason Ann. Horse-shoe Club 265 Away he went, now at a trot at the double post and rails, then sending him with a rush at the artificial water-jump.
1999 Show Jumping July 54/2 On the last day in his class one of his fences was positioned next to a particularly frightening water jump.
water jumper n. a horse considered in respect of its ability to negotiate water jumps.
ΚΠ
1827 Sporting Mag. Dec. 143/1 This horse..has the character of being a splendid water-jumper.
1855 F. I. Duberly Jrnl. 11 July in Mrs Duberly's War (2007) 206 The best water jumper out of Ireland.
2014 horsetalk.co.nz 2 Dec. (O.E.D. Archive) I can't tell you the amount of times that horse understood what was going on. He was a great water jumper.
water-kale n. Scottish (now historical and rare) broth made without meat or fat; cf. kale n. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > soup or pottage > [noun] > other soups
breec1000
mortressc1387
cretone?a1400
mortrelc1400
primrosea1450
water-kale?a1500
white broth?1537
plum broth1614
mutton broth1615
veal brotha1625
nettle-kale?c1625
China-broth1628
bisque1647
beer-broth1648
dilligrout1662
nativity broth1674
sowdyc1700
mandarin broth1701
white soup1708
soup-vermicell1724
soup-meagre1733
burgoo1743
sago-gruel1743
soup maigre1754
vermicelli soup1769
vermicelli1771
noodle soup1779
mock turtle soup1783
pepper-water1783
mulligatawny1784
powsowdie1787
macaroni soup1789
bird's nest soup1806
smiggins1825
garbure1829
pish-pash1834
laksa1846
sancocho1851
ajiaco1856
pepper soup1860
liquorice-soup1864
mock turtle1876
borsch1884
petite marmite1890
whey-brose1894
rassolnik1899
lokshen soup1900
menudo1904
hoosh1905
sinigang1912
waterzooi1915
Cullen Skink1916
swallow's nest soup1920
mizutaki1933
rasam1933
pasta fazool1935
pho1935
pasta fagioli1951
stracciatella1954
solyanka1958
tom yam1960
mannish water1968
pasta e fagioli1968
ribollita1968
tom yam kung1969
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Wolf & Lamb l. 2755 in Poems (1981) 102 To leue vpon dry breid and watter caill.
1572 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxxiii. 262 Glaid to get Peis breid and watter Caill.
1792 G. Galloway Poems 40 They're aften in a pinch, To raise a skin; Scarce water-kail to cram their pench.
1872 W. Forsyth Idylls & Lyrics 112 When the vicar's teinds and baron's mail Left little but rags and water-kail.
1895 J. Colville in H. D. Traill Social Eng. III. 290 The thrifty might have a cheese on the shelf and meal in the kist, but the mass would have to be content with drummock (meal and water) and water-kale.
1907 Blackwood's Mag. Apr. 518/1 The food of the peasant was bearmeal porridge, oatmeal being a luxury, and ‘water kail’ was a standing dish.
waterkeeper n. a person employed to manage a tract of water, originally spec. by guarding against poachers; cf. gamekeeper n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > gamekeeping > [noun] > gamekeeper
warrener1297
ranger1327
walker1482
underkeeper1502
browser1538
tineman1577
waterkeeper1590
gamekeeper1645
rider1647
preserver1749
garde champêtre1814
field ranger1835
warden1835
velveteens1857
keeper1863
game warden1876
pisteur1936
1590 in Archaeologia (1829) 22 171 The Names of the Officers for the West Wardenry of Scotland... The Water keeper for Scotland, Geo. Belle of Annam, yeoman.
1802 J. McEvoy Statist. Surv. County Tyrone v. 135 Those, who pay for privilege of fishing, would act well for themselves and the community, if, instead of paying yearly salaries to water-keepers, as they are called, they would allow them the full amount of the fines settled by law.
1828 J. Thompson New Life J. Allan i. 14 During many years, Will held the office of water-keeper of the Coquet.
1920 D. H. Lawrence Women in Love xiv. 202 He called at the water-keeper's cottage and took the key of the sluice.
1995 Guardian 22 Feb. 6/2 In 1983, when I was waterkeeper there [sc. on the Sutton Estate], the manager told me not to cut too much of the bankside vegetation.
waterkeeping n. Scottish the management of a tract of water, originally spec. by guarding against poachers; the work or office of a waterkeeper.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > watching or keeping guard > [noun] > guarding a tract of water from poachers
waterkeeping1421
1421 in J. B. Paul Registrum Magni Sigilli Scotorum (1882) II. 30/1 The forsaid lord has grantit to..Michel the office of watter keping and the office of chamerlanry of Ananderdale.
1423 in J. B. Paul Registrum Magni Sigilli Scotorum (1882) 30/2 The feis of the custumys langand to the watter keping.
1850 H. F. Hore Inq. into Legislation of Salmon & Sea Fisheries of Ireland viii. 88 The water-keeping may be considered effective, so far as it extends; but there are extensive mountain districts which may by said to be almost wholly unprotected.
2002 Farmers Weekly (Nexis) 1 Mar. 7 When she qualifies this July, she is planning to stay on for a further year to take the national certificate in gamekeeping and waterkeeping.
† water-kin n. Obsolete (a) bodies of water collectively; (b) the nature of water; cf. water-kind n. (a).
ΚΠ
OE Vercelli Homilies (1992) xvi. 270 Hwæt, hine eac swylce sæ & eall wætercynn ongeaton.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) Pref. l. 193 Forr þatt he wollde uss waterr kinn Till ure fulluhht hallȝhenn.
† water-kind n. Obsolete (a) the nature of water; (b) the aquatic class of animals or birds.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > [noun] > nature of
water-kindc1175
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) 18087 Forr latin boc seȝȝþ þatt ennon Bitacneþþ waterr kinde.
1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos vi. sig. Q.ii Lyke as foules of waterkynd Assembling flocke them selfs, whan yere of frost hath fyrst begonne, And ouer seas thei seke in warmer londes to take the sonne.
1682 tr. F. M. van Helmont Cabbalistical Dial. 27 Divers Animals moving themselves..as are those of the water-kind, those that live both on Land and in the water, those that creep, and those that have wings.
water-laid adj. (a) Rope-making = cable-laid adj. at cable n. Compounds 2 (now rare); (b) Geology deposited by or in water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > sedimentary formation > [adjective] > of or belonging to a stratum > deposited by water
water-laid1795
water-lain1883
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > other manufactured or derived materials > [adjective] > made of rope or cord > types of
twine1513
twice-laid1592
basten1677
cable-laid1723
hawser-laid1769
water-laid1795
registered1800
shroud-laid1800
whale-laid1812
strap-laid1839
four-strand1867
locked-coil1885
trifilar1903
1795 Repertory Arts & Manuf. 2 176 Every part of the manufacturing of cordage and ropes in general may be executed in the manner hitherto practised, except this of twisting the yarns into the first strands, whether for the purpose of making what are commonly called water-laid ropes, or shroud-laid ropes.
1832 Zool. Jrnl. 5 346 The Carinæ are nodulous, or twisted like the strands of a rope; the twists of the upper carina are in the direction of a water-laid, or right-handed rope.
1888 E. Clodd Story of Creation iv. 29 The study of the erupted, fire-fused, and water-laid rocks.
1903 Rudder 14 41/1 In these days of steel hawsers and towing machines, water-laid rope is going out of fashion.
1958 W. E. Swinton Fossil Amphibians & Reptiles (ed. 2) xiii. 99 The fact that all our Pterosaurs are from water-laid deposits leads one to speculate whether the picture is unbalanced in that more terrestrial forms have not been preserved.
1995 New Scientist 24 June 33/1 Louis Leakey was snared at the now infamous Calico site in California, a hillside of water-laid boulders and chert blocks.
water-lain adj. Geology = water-laid adj. (b).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > sedimentary formation > [adjective] > of or belonging to a stratum > deposited by water
water-laid1795
water-lain1883
1883 Engin. & Mining Jrnl. 20 Jan. 32 These beds of tufa are stratified and evidently water-lain.
1959 New Biol. 29 14 Any given bed of water-lain rock is usually formed of relatively uniform particles; wind-deposited sands show a similar sorting.
2009 C. M. Cameron Chaco & after N. San Juan vi. 239/2 Above this, Stratum II consists of a series of very fine laminae of reddish sandy silt that may represent water-lain deposits.
water language n. now historical and rare coarse language of the type associated with the watermen of London; cf. water-wit n. (b).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > register > [noun] > jargon > used by other groups
indenture Englisha1568
water language1702
jockeyism1802
slum1812
Polari1846
stable-language1856
scientificism1860
water-slang1860
Oxfordish1863
galley-slang1867
pitmatic1885
commercialese1910
legalese1911
academese1917
Hollywoodese1920
businessese1921
Hollywoodism1925
trade unionese1927
advertisingese1929
officese1935
sociologese1940
Whitehallese1940
Newspeak1949
patter1949
Pentagonese1950
educationese1958
computerese1960
managementese1961
spacespeak1963
computer-speak1968
techno-jargon1972
business-speak1973
Eurospeak1975
Euro-jargon1976
technospeak1976
doctorspeak1977
corporate-speak1978
medspeak1979
mellowspeak1979
technobabble1981
teenspeak1982
management-speak1986
codespeak1987
1702 Prerogative of Breeches 38 There was little to be heard from her but..Sallies of Water-language for the space of—let me see—above half a year.
1782 Crit. Rev. Dec. 446 An eminent lawyer, who being saluted on the Thames with some water-language, which even the frequenters of Billingsgate now despise, coolly replied, [etc.].
1857 Gentleman's Mag. July 13 He could in his manner and language be as rude and ungentlemanly as a Billingsgate porter or a Lambeth market-gardener, giving ‘water-language’ on the Thames.
1972 J. Pudney Crossing London's River iv. 39 The Thames watermen were..notorious for what was known as ‘water language’.
† water leasow n. Obsolete (apparently) a watercourse.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > channel for conveyance of water
water leatOE
water lade1224
leat1279
watergang1293
sow1316
trough1398
wissinga1400
lanec1420
waterway1431
water leasow1440
watercoursea1450
fleam1523
lead1541
cut1548
aqueducta1552
lake1559
strand1565
race1570
channel1581
watergauge1597
gout1598
server1610
carriage1669
runnel1669
aquage1706
shoot1707
tewel1725
run1761
penstock1763
hulve1764
way-gang1766
culvert1774
flume1784
shute1790
pentrough1793
raceway1793
water carriage1793
carrier1794
conductor1796
water carrier1827
penchute1875
chute1878
by-cut1883
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 518 Water lesu, aquagium.
waterleave n. Law (now historical) the right or freedom to have access to or navigate a watercourse belonging to another (cf. wayleave n.); a charge or payment made for this.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal right > rights to do or use something > [noun] > right of using another's property > wayleave or water-leave
wayleave1427
waterleave1740
right of waterway1802
1740 A. Murray True Interest Great Brit. 37 The Proprietors of all hilly Estates, who have Way-Leave and Water-Leave.
1858 Act 21 & 22 Vict. c. 44 §19 As also all Wayleaves or Waterleaves, Canals, [etc.].
1884 R. F. MacSwinney Law Mines, Quarries, & Minerals xxiii. 564 A person, who has a mere easement to use a wayleave, or waterleave, for mining purposes, is not an occupier... But..if the grantee of a waterleave constructs a watercourse with pipes and culverts, he becomes an occupier of the land containing them.
1913 Times 28 Oct. 3/6 The duty was to be levied on the amount of rent payable by the lessee who was in actual enjoyment of any way-leave, water-leave, or right to use a shaft granted to or enjoyed by a working lessee.
1976 J. T. Ward in J. Benson & R. G. Neville Stud. Yorks. Coal Industry 47 Waterleave might be charged for drainage and airleave for ventilation.
water licence n. a licence giving a person, company, etc., use of or access to water, in a variety of contexts; (now) esp. one that permits irrigation in areas where water is scarce.
ΚΠ
1656 in Coll. State Papers J. Thurloe (1742) V. 29 This morning was again proposed the business of the water-licence.
1835 St. Louis Commerc. Bull. 10 Aug. 2/6 The petition of John Scudder, praying that the amount of his Water License be reduced—was referred to the committee on Water Works.
1873 F. Boyle To Cape for Diamonds vi. 98 It was early discovered by the landowners that an unaccountable reduction was taking place in the grazing and water licenses.
1918 Munic. Jrnl. 22 June 505/1 They feel that in paying for a water license, they have certainly purchased a right to an extravagant use of water.
2007 Sydney Morning Herald 1 Sept. 10/1 Anderson..represents many of the NSW graziers affected by the auction for the water licences due on September 18 and 19.
water-locked adj. entirely or mostly surrounded by water; cf. landlocked adj. a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > land mass > island > [adjective] > surrounded
circumfluous?1615
sea-girt1621
water-locked1800
1800 J. Hurdis Favorite Village iii. 81 Forlorn and water-lock'd stands the lone mill.
1911 Mrs. H. Ward Case of Richard Meynell i. vi. 120 The narrow strip of land between the pond and the new channel made a little waterlocked kingdom of its own for the cottage.
2012 Independent (Nexis) 31 Mar. (Travel section) 4 Glorious sunshine slanted through dark clouds, sending a rainbow over Kisimul castle, the small water-locked fort that guards the island of Barra.
water lot n. North American (chiefly Canadian in later use) a lot of ground, typically situated along a shoreline, which is covered by water but which can be reclaimed as usable land or which is otherwise productive or useful.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > possessions > [noun] > real or immovable property > land > a piece of land > recoverable water-covered land
water lot1753
1753 Independent Reflector 1 Mar. 58 The Water Lots are now of greater Value than formerly; and why the Publick should not have the Advantage of the Rise of Lands, as well as private Persons, I cannot conceive.
1857 Putnam's Monthly Mag. Feb. 170/2 He had become a merchant of note, a man of water-lots and steam-boats, and shares in desirable sites at the head of navigation.
1877 Revised Statutes Ontario I. 261 (margin) Sales and appropriations of water lots declared to be legal.
1974 Province (Vancouver) 30 Mar. 23/1 An application for a lease of the Vancouver Bay foreshore water lot had been applied for by someone wishing to fish farm it.
2013 National Post (Canada) (Nexis) 11 Oct. a8 The Toronto Port Authority..owns the water lot in which the MS Jadran floats.
water lung n. Zoology a respiratory organ of an aquatic invertebrate; spec. a respiratory tree of a holothurian (sea cucumber) (see respiratory tree n. (a) at respiratory adj. Compounds).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > phylum Echinodermata > [noun] > subphylum Eleutherozoa > class Holothurioidea > member of (sea-cucumber) > parts of > branches of the cloaca
water lung1840
1840 Penny Cycl. XVII. 356/2 The marginal borders..form the outline of those expanded membranes..which occupy the flatted and larger portions of the shells, and fold over the water-lungs, termed branchiæ or gills.
1877 Encycl. Brit. VII. 639/2 Two, or more rarely four or five, branched processes of the cloaca, the respiratory trees or water-lungs, are ordinarily present.
1922 Biol. Bull. 42 96 The water lungs [of Holothurians] are considered to be organs of respiration.
2001 Trop. Fish Hobbyist June 81/1 They do not live inside the sea cucumber's gut, but the sea cucumber's water lung (a cleaner place no doubt).
water lute n. [ < water n. + lute n.2] an airtight or watertight joint or seal; (also) water, or water-soluble material, used to make such a seal (cf. fat-lute n. at fat adj. and n.2 Special uses 2).
ΚΠ
1810 York Herald 6 Oct. A large Chymical Apparatus, erected upon the most improved plan, (with Water Lutes,) and every requisite complete.
1823 T. Gill Techn. Repository 3 125 It is well..to smooth its surface likewise with oil, if it is a fat lute; but if it be a water-lute, for instance made of either almond, or linseed meal, it is requisite..to secure it with slips of paper.
1902 W. Robinson Gas & Petroleum Engines (ed. 2) II. xvi. 572 The gas generated leaves at the top of the producer, by the cooling pipe S, and bubbles through a water lute T into the coke-scrubber B.
2011 K. Krishnaswamy & M. P. Bala Power Plant Instrumentation i. 7 A carbonaceous fuel is fed mechanically into a gas generator which is embedded on a water lute in air-tight condition.
water luting n. [ < water n. + luting n.2] now rare = water lute n.; (also) the condition of having a water lute or water lutes; the use of water lutes.
ΚΠ
1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 206 The shallow water-luting, formed by the marginal groove.
1880 Brit. Jrnl. Photogr. 13 Feb. 81/1 A Bunsen burner..causing the evolution of gas, which becomes purified by passing through the water luting, on its way to the gas chamber.
1921 T. E. Thorpe Dict. Appl. Chem. (rev. ed.) II. 186/1 The cover is at once put on and made tight by water-luting or cementing.
water maker n. a piece of desalinating apparatus used at sea to make drinking water.
ΚΠ
1942 Marine Progress Jan. 35/1 (advt.) He installed our low pressure, waste heat, automatic Water Maker.
1974 Motor Boating & Sailing Apr. 89/1 Undoubtedly a water maker could be fitted if required though it is not mentioned on the designer's specs.
2004 Times 13 Dec. 59/3 She is now using the reserve water-maker but has insufficient power to produce enough water.
† water-manikin n. Obsolete (in form water-manakin) a kind of small sailing boat formerly used off the Dutch coast as a tow-boat. [Apparently < water n. + manikin n., perhaps influenced by Dutch waterman waterman n., or perhaps compare man n.1 25. Compare earlier water ship n.]
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel propelled by sail > [noun] > other sailing vessels
balinger1391
caliphe1393
buss1471
mahonnet1524
flute1567
mahone1572
shallopa1578
prahu1582
caïque1666
bullenger1670
hogboat1784
mistico1792
water-manikin1796
mistic1828
sailing-packet1842
sharpie1860
tjalk1861
botter1880
scow schooner1885
scow sloop1885
ghoster1886
sailing-trawler1891
sharp1891
skiff1891
palari1936
gulet1986
1796 J. G. Stedman Narr. Exped. Surinam II. xxx. 389 The second method [of getting ships over the Pampus, a muddy shoal off Amsterdam] is practised on smaller vessels, and consists of half a dozen sail boats called water-manakins, towing them through the mud.
water mass n. Oceanography a mass of sea water distinguishable by its temperature and salinity from surrounding water.
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the world > the earth > water > sea or ocean > region of sea or ocean > [noun] > by salinity or temperature, etc.
water mass1898
1898 A. W. Cronander On Laws of Movement Sea-currents & Rivers 4 [The Baltic's] watermasses must flow..towards the ocean with a rapidity which is considerably greater, than is the case with some of the currents of the ocean.
1976 Nature 19 Feb. 606/2 No influx of the Atlantic watermass into northeast Icelandic waters was observed in June 1975.
2002 P. Herring Biol. Deep Ocean iv. 81 Minor changes in the current pattern of the Gulf Stream result in the unexpected appearance of warmer-water species in the English Channel, giving rise to the concept of ‘indicator species’ from which to identify a particular water mass.
water maze n. a water-filled maze, spec. (more fully Morris water maze, Morris open-field water maze) one used in behavioural testing of rodents (see Morris n.5); (also) any garden maze incorporating water features.
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a1852 H. W. Torrens Select. from Writings (1854) II. 353 Naiads of the silent wave Loved the fair thing... In guardful water-maze they bound her.
1980 Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 6 565/2 In rats injected bilaterally in the dorsal hippocampus with kainic acid, colchicine, or ferric chloride, a disruption of performance was demonstrated in the Morris open-field water maze.
1997 Times (Nexis) 30 Aug. 18/3 From ancient turf labyrinths to..the new generation of water mazes, educational mazes and sanity-threatening mirror mazes, the range is endless.
2013 Denver Post (Nexis) 29 Oct. c1 Deactivating the protein significantly improved their cognitive abilities, such as those needed to navigate a water maze.
water-mead n. now rare (chiefly literary in later use) = water meadow n.
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the world > food and drink > farming > farm > farmland > grassland > [noun] > meadow land > meadow > water-meadow
wish898
ing1483
salt meadow1656
water meadow1719
water-meada1722
flow-meadow1834
pré salé1903
a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1757) 303 A great burden of hay and grass there was in North-Wiltshire, unless in the water-meads, where they were stranded.
1840 T. A. Trollope Summer in Brittany I. 381 A pretty walk along the valley, which is occupied by a succession of water-meads.
1862 Once a Week 19 July 106/2 The fine old city of Winton..lies hidden in the valley, surrounded with its breezy downs and laced with silvery water-meads.
1914 H. P. Eden Bread & Circuses 71 The chalky scaurs of Compton hold the shadows; and between Lie the water-meads of Mottisfont.
water merchant n. (a) a merchant who sells or distributes goods by boat; (b) a purveyor or supplier of water.
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1653 E. Lee Legenda Lignea xxxviii. 174 This Secular, studies most in Cabarets and Taverns, is the companion of Water-Merchants, Crochettiers, and Porters [etc.].
1717 W. C. Hydro-sidereon 35 Prevent those Cheats, which Foreign Water-Merchants may impose upon us.
1807 J. Carr Tour through Holland xv. 274 There are water-merchants, who are constantly occupied in supplying the city with drinkable water.
1859 W. M. Wood Fankwei viii. 71 The bumboat man is the most useful of all these water merchants... His boat is the peddling shop, the corner grocery to the people shut up on board the ship.
1902 Out West Mar. 329 The control of the stream goes into the hands of those who treat it as a merchantable commodity—water merchants who sell the melting snows.
1990 R. R. Covell Mission Impossible iii. 37 The water merchants..came up to the boat, using long bamboo poles with a hook on one end to cling to the ship's side, while they tried to sell their wares.
2014 Times (National ed.) (Nexis) 23 June 35 The wealthy can..install 5,000-litre plastic tanks, which are filled by freelance water merchants running fleets of trucks.
† water met n. [ < water n. + met n.1] Scottish Obsolete a system or unit of measurement for goods sold on board vessels in port or on a river; = water measure n.; (also) a container used in water measure.
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the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > [noun] > specific measures or standards
water metOE
measurec1350
water met1426
water measure1465
Winchesterc1550
Pool measure1701
mgd1955
1426 in Rec. Parl. Scotl. to 1707 (2007) 1426/18 That the vatter mettis that ar now sall stand and remayn in the realme.
1546 in J. H. Burton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1877) 1st Ser. I. 30 That na ry be sauld dearer nor XXV s the boll and the quhete for XL s the boll watter mete.
1582 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1882) IV. 235 To Gilbert Blak, coupar, for tuentie twa firlottis..and mending of the watter mettis.
1613 in J. D. Marwick Rec. Convent. Royal Burghs Scotl. (1870) II. 418 That ane equall proportione of all sortis of measures and mettis, both water mett and land met,..be keiped.
1707 J. A. Stewart Abridgement Acts Parl. Scotl. (heading) 272 Water-Mett.
water meter n. a device for measuring the quantity of water passing through or used by something; esp. a device for indicating the quantity of water used in a building or household.
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1832 C. Babbage Econ. Machinery & Manuf. Contents p. x Instrument to measure Liquor drawn from Casks... Gas-meter... Water-meter.
1837 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 19 71 A water meter has been attached to Loam's engine, to ascertain the quantity of water injected into the boilers..by the consumption of a bushel of coal.
1893 Safety Valve 15 Sept. 12/1 In that country [sc. Italy] not only the single houses but even the individual families possess water-meters.
1923 Pop. Sci. Monthly Dec. 65/1 In many modern homes a shut-off valve..will be found beside the water meter.
2008 Ecologist July 16/1 All newly built homes and individual apartments in newly built blocks should have their own water meters.
water mica n. rare clear, colourless mica, spec. muscovite.
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1905 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. Sept. 200 The clear kind is known to the trade as ‘water mica’.
1908 Mineral Industry 16 710 The two commercially important micas are muscovite, the white or water mica of the trade, and phlogopite, loosely termed amber mica.
water monarch n. chiefly somewhat literary a person, god, fish, etc., regarded as presiding over the water as or like a monarch; spec. (a) the god Neptune; (b) a large or powerful fish.
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the world > animals > fish > unspecified types > [noun]
whalec950
tumbrelc1300
sprout1340
squame1393
codmop1466
whitefish1482
lineshark?a1500
salen1508
glaucus1509
bretcock1522
warcodling1525
razor1530
bassinatc1540
goldeney1542
smy1552
maiden1555
grail1587
whiting1587
needle1589
pintle-fish1591
goldfish1598
puffin fish1598
quap1598
stork1600
black-tail1601
ellops1601
fork-fish1601
sea-grape1601
sea-lizard1601
sea-raven1601
barne1602
plosher1602
whale-mouse1607
bowman1610
catfish1620
hog1620
kettle-fish1630
sharpa1636
carda1641
housewifea1641
roucotea1641
ox-fisha1642
sea-serpent1646
croaker1651
alderling1655
butkin1655
shamefish1655
yard1655
sea-dart1664
sea-pelican1664
Negro1666
sea-parrot1666
sea-blewling1668
sea-stickling1668
skull-fish1668
whale's guide1668
sennet1671
barracuda1678
skate-bread1681
tuck-fish1681
swallowtail1683
piaba1686
pit-fish1686
sand-creeper1686
horned hog1702
soldier1704
sea-crowa1717
bran1720
grunter1726
calcops1727
bennet1731
bonefish1734
Negro fish1735
isinglass-fish1740
orb1740
gollin1747
smelt1776
night-walker1777
water monarch1785
hardhead1792
macaw-fish1792
yellowback1796
sea-raven1797
blueback1812
stumpnose1831
flat1847
butterfish1849
croppie1856
gubbahawn1857
silt1863
silt-snapper1863
mullet-head1866
sailor1883
hogback1893
skipper1898
stocker1904
the world > the supernatural > deity > classical deity > [noun] > Neptune
NeptuneOE
earth-shaker1580
tridentifer1600
circler of the earth?1611
trident-bearer1749
water monarch1785
trident-swayer1904
1785 E. Owen tr. Juvenal Satires I. x. 221 Troth, 'twas kind, he did not brand This water-monarch for his drudge [L. quod non et stigmate dignum credidit];—what god Would serve a lord so whimsically odd?
1818 J. Keats Endymion iii. 149 Meantime a glorious revelry began Before the Water-Monarch.
1847 T. T. Stoddart Angler's Compan. 250 Give me..the rush of some veteran water-monarch.
1884 Outing & Wheelman Apr. 24/1 By this time the fierce and strong water monarch began to tire, and Joe hauled him slowly in, foot by foot.
1995 Res. Afr. Lit. Summer 34 The goddess herself is respectfully greeted: ‘Eze Mmiri di Egwu!’ that is, ‘The Queen of the Water / Water Monarch is great / awesome!’
water-monger n. chiefly depreciative †(a) a person who diagnoses illness on the basis of the visual inspection of urine; = water-caster n. 1 (obsolete); (b) a person who sells water; (in later use also) a person or organization which controls a supply of water.
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the world > health and disease > healing > healer > physician > [noun] > diagnostician > by urine
water-caster1603
water-monger1623
piss-prophet1625
urine-monger1625
urine-prophet1654
waterologer1654
urine -caster1763
urine-doctor1815
urinoscopist1836
water doctor1848
urine-inspector1863
uroscopist1889
society > trade and finance > selling > seller > sellers of specific things > [noun] > seller of provisions > seller of water
water-sellereOE
waterleader?a1221
water lagger?1518
water-seller1697
water-monger1845
1623 J. Hart tr. P. van Foreest Arraignm. Vrines i. ii. 9 Empirickes, water-mongers, and peticoat-physitians.
1709 R. Gould Wks. II. 255 Whatsoe'er the Water-Mongers think The Vertues are of this their Mine'ral Drink,..The Ease they feel, and all the Health they share, Is only due..To Temperance, Exercise, and Country Air.
1845 R. Ford Hand-bk. Travellers in Spain I. i. 72 While in particular stations water-mongers in wholesale have a shed.
1852 Hampshire Advertiser 15 May 3/4 We find our water-mongers sneaking back to the edge of the ‘polluted’ Itchen—to bore or dig wells for water.
1972 Washington Post 23 Apr. a35/4 To protect the proletariat of Hong Kong from exploitation by British ‘capitalist-imperialist water-mongers’.
1995 St Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 30 Mar. 1 b We're being portrayed as the greedy water mongers... It's not greed. We want to help these people.
water motor n. a machine which generates power using water; (also) a machine or device powered by water; = water engine n. 3.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > other types of engine > [noun] > water
water engine1754
water-pressure engine1811
water motor1850
1850 Artizan June 123/2 A similar contrivance, known as Barker's Mill in this country, and Segner's Mill in Germany, has long been in use in Switzerland and other continental countries as a convenient water motor.
1881 Encycl. Brit. XII. 520/1 Water motors may be divided into water-pressure engines, water wheels, and turbines.
1969 E. P. Anderson Home Appliance Servicing (ed. 2) xiii. 182 Instantaneous-type water heaters are actuated by flow valves or water motors that actuate the gas flame whenever water is drawn from the faucet.
2001 C. H. Wendel Encycl. Antique Tools & Machinery 200/2 The hydraulic ram is in reality a combination of a water motor and a pump working in a pulsating fashion.
water mould n. Biology an oomycete, esp. one of the order Saprolegniales (the members of which are mainly saprobes found in aquatic environments).
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1882 Ann. Rep. Inspectors Salmon Fisheries Eng. & Wales 1881 13 They [sc. the Saprolegniæ] may be defined as a kind of water-moulds, which usually live at the expense of dead and submerged animal and vegetable substances.
1950 L. E. Hawker Physiol. Fungi iv. 124 The cell walls of most fungi do not consist of true cellulose, although those of certain groups, notably the water moulds or Saprolegniales, do.
2009 New Scientist 12 Sept. 16/2 Blight is caused by an oomycete or water mould, Phytophthora infestans, related to brown algae.
water music n. (a) musical sounds made by (flowing, falling, etc.) water; (b) music intended to be heard or performed while afloat.In quot. c1660: the music of hydraulic organs (in the Belvedere di Monte Cavallo in Rome).
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society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > [noun] > other general types
country music1585
water musicc1660
concert music1776
eye music1812
ballet music1813
night music1832
absolute music1856
Tafelmusik1880
Ars Antiqua1886
Ars Nova1886
early music1886
tone poetry1890
mood music1922
Gebrauchsmusik1930
shake music1935
modernistic1938
industrial1942
spasm music1943
musica reservata1944
protest music1949
night music1950
palm court music1958
title music1960
bottleneck guitar1961
rinky-tink1962
Schrammel-musik1967
sweet music1967
chutney1968
roots music1969
electronica1980
multiphonics1983
chutney soca1987
chiptune1992
c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1644 (1955) II. 238 Refresh'd with water-musique, Aviaries & other rarities.
?1727 (title) Six overtures for violins in all their parts as they were perform'd at the Kings Theatre in the operas of Theseus, Amadis, Pastor Fido, Admetus, The Water Musick, Julius Cæsar. [By G. F. Handel.]
1749 H. Walpole Let. 17 May in Corr. (1960) XX. 56 A concert of water music.
1885 Argosy Apr. 272 And then the water music: the steady ripple of the river, the dance of the brook, and the grander tones of the sea.
1888 L. A. Smith Music of Waters 325 The following is a specimen of the paddling-songs, which really form the principal water-music of the Tonga Islands.
1940 L. MacNeice Last Ditch 9 And as the twilight filtered on the heather Water-music filled the air.
1980 Early Music 8 50/1 It seems likely that Weiss, Buffardin, and Hebenstreit provided ‘water music’ for the royal couple on the barge.
1992 P. Theroux Happy Isles Oceania xxiv. 692 The water music of mountain cataracts.
† water nail n. Obsolete (apparently) a nail that will bear exposure to water without rusting.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > nail > rust-proof
water nail1403
1403 in G. W. Kitchin Compotus Rolls St. Swithun's, Winchester (1892) 425 In xlij bordis ad idem emptis viijs. ixd. In cc Waturnailes ad idem emptis xijd.
1482 in J. P. Collier Househ. Bks. John Duke of Norfolk & Thomas Earl of Surrey (1844) 211 Item, for dore nayle, and watter nayle, iiij.c. and qrtr. ij.s. ix.d. ob.
1666 in R. Bird Jrnl. Giles Moore (1971) 53 To Goodwife Lander for 2 gallons of Beere giv'n the Bevis's—& water nayles 3d.
1685 in W. M. Myddelton Chirk Castle Accts. (1931) II. 8 Dec. 199 Pd William Jones, Nayler, for 800 of water nailes for the Mills.
water omnibus n. now rare = water bus n.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel for transporting people or goods > passenger vessel > [noun] > water-bus
water omnibus1838
water bus1883
vaporetto1926
motoscafo1936
1838 Bell's Life in London 9 Sept. A new steam packet company has been for some time formed, whose boats will be a description of ‘water omnibus’.
1864 Athenæum 2 Apr. 468/3 The bazar caiques, or water-omnibuses, taking passengers across the Bosphorus.
1972 A. Palmer Metternich xix. 315 Water omnibuses on the Thames were a sound idea, he thought.
water organ n. Music historical a type of early pipe organ in which water is used to regulate and maintain air pressure; = hydraulus n.
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society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > keyboard instrument > types of organ > [noun] > water-organ
water organa1387
hydraulicon1570
hydraulic1626
hydraulus1874
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 73 Water organs [L. organa hydraulica] þat sowneþ by ayer and water.
1647 A. Ross Mystagogvs Poeticvs xvi. 240 Those musicall instruments of old called Hydraula, wee may call them water-organs.
1852 tr. J. J. Seidel Organ & its Constr. 13 The invention of the water-organ by..Ctesibius, of Alexandria.
1994 M. Chanan Musica Practica vii. 173 The organ..first appeared in the form of the water organ, or hydraulis.
water oven n. an oven heated by steam or hot water; (in later use also) a water bath designed for cooking vacuum-packed food.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > furnace or kiln > furnace > [noun] > other furnaces
retort furnace1688
stew1688
reheating furnace1818
reheating oven1839
water oven1848
Siemens producer1866
decomposing furnace1876
reheat furnace1931
exfoliator1944
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > equipment for food preparation > stove or cooker > [noun] > oven > other types of oven
broiling-iron1562
broil-iron1567
apple roaster1637
bread oven1745
pot-oven1750
Dutch oven1769
caboose1779
roaster1796
gas oven1810
kitchen1826
tandoor1840
water oven1848
ti-oven1896
roaster oven1940
1848 Morning Chron. 24 May 7/2 Mr. Edwin James, the barrister, and Mr. Sole, of the firm of Sole and Turner, of Aldermanbury, were present on the part of Messrs. Brown of Great Suffolk-street, the patentee of the cylindrical water oven.
1931 A. D. Hall Soil (ed. 4) ii. 69 The results must be calculated on the ‘dry’ soil, dried at a temperature of 105℃. for twenty-four hours in an electric oven or a water oven.
2009 Deseret News (Salt Lake City) 9 Dec. c1 The Sous Vide Supreme, a countertop water oven that duplicates the trendy cooking method in high-end restaurants. You vacuum-pack foods in air-tight plastic pouches, then submerge them in a low-temperature water bath.
water packer n. Oil Industry a packer (packer n.1 5) used to prevent movement of water in an oil well, esp. downward movement in the space between the wall of the well and the drill pipe.
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1870 U.S. Patent 105,156 1/1 The object of my invention is to cut the casing or tubing in oil-wells, so as to relieve them from the seed-bag water-packers, or other obstructions.
2008 Explor. & Technol. (Nexis) 3 Jan. In this location the 32 elements of oil and water packers provide a seal between the inside of the 4 1/2-in. tubing and the new completion string.
† water-pad n. [ < water n. + pad n.3 4] slang Obsolete a person who steals from boats; a water thief.
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1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Water-Pad,..one that Robbs Ships in the Thames.
1720 A. Smith Compl. Hist. Lives & Robberies Highway-men (ed. 5) III. (title page) The wicked Lives of Highway-men, Murderers,..Shoplifts, Water-pads, [etc.].
1756 Coll. Canting Words & Terms in Bailey's New Universal Eng. Dict. (ed. 4.) II Water-Pad, one that robs Ships, Hoys, Lighters, Barges or Boats in the River of Thames.
water park n. a park containing expanses of water, esp. as suitable for boating or swimming; (later more generally) a park featuring water-based amusements of any kind.
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society > leisure > entertainment > place of amusement or entertainment > [noun] > pleasure-ground or playground > park
spring garden1612
parka1635
water park1714
summer garden1775
national park1851
Noah's Ark1924
parkette1945
1714 Act of Sale for Estate J. Tregagle 3 Sawbye's Tenement and Water-Park, in the Parish of Lanew alias Kew, in County of Cornwall.
1868 D. Pulsifer Guide Boston & Vicinity 130 If this design had been carried out, neither the celebrated Inner Allster of Hamburg, nor the Lagoons of Venice, could have surpassed in beauty..this spacious water-park.
1928 Observer 15 July 12 In the north-eastern workmen's district of Floridsdorf,..a new ‘water-park’ has just been opened. It..includes two ponds, connected by canals, so that some kind of ‘little Venice’ has been created.
1972 Daily Tel. 4 Sept. 8 A national water park that would include the Norfolk Broads and the Fens is being planned.
1982 Washington Post 18 July (Virginia Weekly section) 13 Oceans of Fun, Kansas City: world's largest water park, with a wave pool the size of a football field.
2009 C. Luck Angel Fall xxxi. 253 Do you remember the slide at the water park? The one that was five stories tall?
water patient n. now historical a person undergoing a water cure (water cure n. 1).
ΚΠ
1842 Penny Satirist 30 Apr. 4/2 However be it the imprudence of the water doctors or the water patients, the cold water system fell into disrepute and disuse.
1846 E. Bulwer-Lytton Confess. Water-patient 17 The regular life which water-patients lead.
2004 M. H. Frawley Invalidism & Identity 19th-cent. Brit. ii. 90 Bulwer-Lytton..was not the only water patient to scold traditional physicians for their unwillingness to consider alternative treatments.
water pill n. a diuretic administered as a tablet; = water tablet n.
ΚΠ
1967 Good Housek. July 151/1 Some physicians treat overweight by giving patients drugs which they may refer to as ‘water pills’.
1982 M. Brady Folly 33 Them water pills for my pressure, you know.
2002 Time 30 Dec. 158/1 The study..showed that mild diuretics, or ‘water pills’, are..the least expensive means of treating most cases of high blood pressure.
water pillow n. a pillow made of watertight material and filled with water, used as an alternative to a conventional pillow (cf. waterbed n. 3).
ΚΠ
1840 London Med. Gaz. 28 Aug. 871/1 The water-pillow was used only once.
1850 Provinc. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 14 335/1 A water-pillow of vulcanized India-rubber, which may be used even with boiling water or cold, answering all the purpose of a warm fomentation or a local support.
1911 G. K. Abbott Hydrotherapy 109 If the tub is used, it is necessary to provide an invalid ring for the head and a similar cushion or water pillow should support the nates.
2014 Times & Transcript (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 5 Feb. d5 I somehow managed to fill the water pillow with nearly five litres of water without soaking the pillow or turning the living room into a pool.
water pistol n. a toy pistol that shoots a jet of water; (occasionally more generally) any pistol capable of discharging water or other liquid.
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society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > toy weapons > [noun]
poop1489
pellet1553
trunk1553
elder-gun1600
popgun1649
spitter1688
pluff1695
whistling arrowa1718
pea-shooter1782
pea gun1812
detonating ball1814
pea-blower1821
pen-gun1821
pipegun1828
torpedo1831
spring gun1837
putty blower1861
tweaker1862
pluffera1866
bean-shooter1890
putty shooter1896
water pistol1897
stink bomb1915
cap-pistol1920
cap-gun1931
laser gun1961
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > fire, radiation, or chemical weapons > [noun] > guns discharging water
water-bow1632
water cannon1891
water pistol1897
1897 Amer. Stationer 22 Apr. 645/1 [A correspondent] asks for name and address of the manufacturer of water pistol.
1904 Wide World Mag. Aug. 480 The authoress narrates how a toy water-pistol..saved the life of her brother.
1905 Daily Chron. 29 Nov. 1/7 A burglar who is said to have carried a ‘water pistol’ and to have thrown or fired some ammonia into the eyes of a householder is under remand at Woolwich.
1989 ‘C. Roman’ Foreplay xxvii. 327 Morgan is shooting at everyone with a water pistol that came out of his Christmas sock.
2003 New Yorker 28 July 76/3 They ran and screamed past the chessboard tables..arms loaded with plastic toys, G. I. Joes, water pistols, Wiffle balls.
water place n. now somewhat rare a place where water may be obtained; a watering place.
ΚΠ
a1525 ( Coventry Leet Bk. (1908) II. 348 Hit is ordened that the water place in Catesby lane be made, & an honest man to haue the kepyng of the key.
1653 W. Ramesey Astrologia Restaurata iv. 273 Dammage to Rivers and Fountains, Springs, and water-places.
1772 Gen. Evening Post 22 Aug. If the cattle cannot have fair water softened in a cistern, let them at least drink at water places railed off neatly.
1861 A. H. Clough Corr. 23 Aug. (1957) II. 599 Cauterets..is a busyish water-place.
2006 E. D. Crawford tr. H. Jansen Over Thousand Hills 265 The boys..and were already starting out on the return journey by the time the girls got to the water place.
water plug n. now chiefly U.S. any of various devices for connecting a fire hose to a water main.Originally referring to a plug in the ground; later more usually to a fire hydrant. Cf. fireplug n. (a) at fire n. and int. Compounds 2a.
ΚΠ
1729 Daily Jrnl. 31 May His Horse's Foot slipt into the Hole of a Water Plug, which threw the Rider and broke his Arm.
1764 Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser 25 May The water-plugs should never be stuffed up with straw or dirt, but have an iron flap with a hinge over them.
1827 Columbia (S. Carolina) Telescope 26 Apr. It is..stated that none of the company of Engine No. 2, had been instructed in drawing the water plugs, which is well known to be incorrect.
1846 Comic Almanack 3 The common water-plug offers a capital medium for illustrating the leading principles in hydrostatics and hydraulics.
1917 T. Mundy Winds of World vi. 103 Leaning from the seat of his high dog-cart to speak to the English fireman who stood sentry over the water-plug.
1994 St. Petersburg (Florida) Times (Nexis) 3 June 1 b [He] apparently turned from Shore Acres Boulevard onto Grand Canal Boulevard and then clipped a water plug and light pole on Overlook Drive.
water pocket n. (a) Engineering (in a steam boiler) a compartment or division containing a portion of water; (b) a natural depression or cavity in which water collects.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hollow or depression > [noun] > containing water
pan1494
peat pota1500
waterhole1688
basin1712
tinaja1835
swag1848
water pocket1863
rock hole1869
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > boiler > [noun] > parts of > compartments
fireplace1611
firebox1735
fire chamber1808
water space1824
water pocket1863
steam-space1867
steam-room1875
1863 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 46 New Ser. 101 A new boiler has lately been brought out, in which water pockets or midfeathers at varying angles are fixed in the flue-tube.
1890 Cent. Mag. Apr. 916/2 We lunch by a water-pocket that was filled by a storm 2 months ago.
1891 Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Jan. 7/1 The boiler consists of a cylindrical upper part..6 ft. long, and two lower prismatic water pockets also about 6 ft. in length.
2010 Asian News Internat. (Nexis) 24 Jan. The radar also revealed water pockets beneath the ice [in Antarctica].
water poet n. (a) a poet who is associated with water (originally and chiefly as an epithet of John Taylor (1578–1653), who was a waterman on the Thames); †(b) a writer of doggerel verse (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > poet > [noun] > writer of doggerel
water poet1612
water-rhymera1637
doggerelist1725
doggereler1822
doggerelizer1827
1612 J. P. in J. Taylor Sculler sig. A3 (heading) To the one and onely water-Poet and my friend Iohn Taylor.
1631 P. Fletcher Sicelides ii. vi. sig. D3 Farewell ye rockes and seas, I thinke yee'l shew it That Sicelie affords a water-Poet.
1640 J. Fletcher & J. Shirley Night-walker iii. sig. F3v A Play in the Puritans ruffe? Ile buy his Workes for't, And confute Horace with a Water Poet.
1713 ‘N. Ironside’ in 2nd Pt. Tunbridge-misc. 23 The Water Poets [at Bath] are an innocent Tribe, and deserve all the Encouragement I can give them.
1741 Querists, Pt. III 26 Like Hackney Versifiers and Water Poets, he makes one Verse for the Matter, another for the Rhime.
1826 Gentleman's Mag. Nov. 432/1 Taylor the water-poet says that, in the Highlands of Scotland, he saw only deer, wild horses, wolves, and such like creatures.
1876 J. R. Thomson Pelton's Illustr. Guide Tunbridge Wells (ed. 7) 33 If the water-poets may be believed, there has always been an abundance of distinguished beauties among the visitors to Tunbridge Wells.
1903 W. Besant London in Time of Stuarts 339 Taylor, the water-poet, thus speaks of coaches.
1964 E. Dahlberg Alms for Oblivion (1967) 56 Both Melville and Crane were boreal men seeking the mild trade winds. They were water poets.
2005 J. F. Merritt Social World Early Mod. Westm. v. 169 The Crown itself retained the services of about forty watermen who were called upon to act on public occasions, including John Taylor the Water Poet.
water point n. (a) the point on a hydrometer which is level with the surface of the liquid in which it is placed (now rare); (b) a point at which water may be obtained; a watering place.
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1847 J. Müller Princ. Physics & Meteorol. 78 The water point is marked with 0 for liquids heavier than water.
1882 J. Thausing et al. Theory & Pract. Prepar. Malt 84 The volumeter is provided with a scale, and the point..to which it sinks in pure water at a temperature of 4.1° C..., i.e., the water point, is marked by 100.
1899 Jrnl. House of Representatives Texas (26th Legisl.) 98/1 The many and unspeakable advantages of having a water point within the limit of their territory.
1906 New Internat. Encycl. X. 378/2 In the instrument of Gay-Lussac..the water-point was marked 100.
1913 Motor Age 28 Aug. 22/3 The first water point beyond Green River..is the town of Desert.
1997 B. McCrea et al. S. Afr.: Rough Guide ii. ii. 153 Carry a waterbottle to fill up at a waterpoint about halfway up the mountain.
waterpoise n. now historical †(a) a kind of water balance (water balance n. 1) (obsolete rare); (b) an instrument used to determine the specific gravity of a liquid; = hydrometer n. 1.
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the world > matter > constitution of matter > density or solidity > [noun] > specific gravity > device to measure specific gravity > of liquids
waterpoise1660
hydrometer1675
citrometer1823
litrameter1826
Twaddell1853
pycnometer1858
specific gravity beads (also bulbs)1863
1660 ‘R. D'Acres’ Art Water-drawing ii. iii. 24 The receiving and comming in of the water at the forcers, took off the weight of the water in the mayn pipe and weight, &c. by which better appeared the vanity of the water poyse.
1667 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 2 496 The Sea..was..much more Salt, the further we went; as I tryed by a Water-poise of Glass, with Quicksilver at the one end.
1807 S. Parkes Chymical Catech. (new ed.) 262 So many carats as the bottle filled with an alkaline lye, or any other liquor, weighs more than this waterpoise, so many carats strong is the liquor said to be.
2003 S. Inwood Man Who Knew Too Much (new ed.) xvii. 263 At the Society meeting that day Hooke showed experiments with a single-lens microscope and a waterpoise.
water pore n. Biology a pore or stoma through which water passes; cf. water stoma n.
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the world > life > biology > biological processes > letting or forcing out (a substance, etc.) > [noun] > water-pore
water pore1850
the world > plants > part of plant > cell or aggregate tissue > [noun] > tissue > epidermis or cuticle > stoma
spiraclea1774
stomate1835
stomatium1835
miliary gland1836
stoma1837
water pore1850
water stoma1884
mouth pore1888
1850 L. Agassiz in Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts & Sci. New Ser. 4 325 The water-pores in Echinoderms, through which their main cavity is constantly filled with fresh sea-water, undoubtedly perform a similar office.
1884 F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Anat. Phanerogams & Ferns 45 Two varieties of stoma may be distinguished, which may briefly be termed air-pores (or stomata), and water-pores.
1909 C. F. Brown Drainage Irrigated Lands Farmers' Bull. 371 47 If they [sc. soils of arid regions] have any water pores at all, they are those of the water doing the damage.
2007 Biophysical Jrnl. 92 1878/2 Formation of transient water pores in biological membranes is central for many other important cellular processes.
water potential n. Botany a measure of the energy involved in incorporating more water into a solution, used with reference to the movement of water within or between soil and plants, and typically expressed in pascals or in joules per unit volume.
ΚΠ
1951 New Phytologist 50 47 The term ‘water potential’ was suggested by R. K. Schofield at a discussion on water movement in plants sponsored by the Colloid and Biophysics Committee of the Faraday Society held at Rothamsted in 1949.
1974 E. J. Winter Water, Soil & Plant ix. 113 High soil moisture tension or stress (low soil water potential) caused by low soil moisture content hinders the passage of water into the plant.
2005 M. B. Kirkham Princ. Soil & Plant Water Relations xvi. 256 The pressure chamber is the most popular method to measure water potential.
water poverty n. (a) the condition of not having access to sufficient water, or water of an adequate quality, to meet one’s basic needs; (b) (chiefly British) the condition of being unable to afford to pay one’s water bills.
ΚΠ
1882 Frank Leslie's Pop. Monthly Jan. 10/2 Liverpool, without increasing its supply, has, at a trifling expense, risen from a state of water-poverty to that of redundant wealth.
1921 I. Bowman New World xxv. 422 Water poverty is the great stumbling block to agricultural development.
1988 Guardian 29 Nov. 22/6 We will see even more people unable to met [sic] the cost of water... Will ‘water poverty’ be to the 1990s what fuel poverty was to the 1980s?
1997 G. Seddon Landprints (1998) 110 Centuries of water-riches make it hard to grasp our water-poverty and its implications.
2009 Daily Tel. 22 July 7/7 Supporting those in water poverty via the public purse means increasing taxes for all.
water press n. (a) a compressor using a body of water to generate pressure; = hydrostatic press n. at hydrostatic adj. Compounds 2 (now chiefly historical); (b) a machine or apparatus used to extract water from a substance.In quot. 1802 in figurative context.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for altering dimensions > [noun] > press > hydraulic
hydrostatic press1797
water press1802
Bramah's press1846
hydraulic press1851
wheel-press1875
1802 Monthly Mag. Jan. 580/2 A little literary prizing would be of use to his volume, which, without the water-press of Bramah, might be condensed into much less space.
1882 Trans. North of Eng. Inst. Mining Engineers 31 Abstr. Foreign Papers 46 A Schwamkrug [printed Schnsamkrug] turbine.., with a head of water equal to 63.3 h.p., delivered to the two air compressors and a water press 31.3 h.p., showing a useful effect of 49 per cent.
1969 J. J. Perkins Princ. & Methods Sterilization in Health Sci. (ed. 2) xv. 381 The machine consists of a pulper and water press.
2005 C. Katsigris & C. Thomas Design & Equipm. Restaurants & Foodservice (ed. 2) xvi. 440 The slurry (consisting of 95 percent water and 5 percent waste) moves into a water press, or water extraction chamber.
water pressure n. pressure exerted by water, being equal in all directions about a point and acting perpendicularly to any adjacent surface; a degree of such pressure; cf. fluid pressure n. at fluid adj. and n. Compounds 2.
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the world > matter > physics > mechanics > fluid mechanics > [noun] > hydraulics or hydromechanics > applied hydraulic force
water pressure1800
hydraulic1890
1800 Philos. Mag. 6 69 Air forced into the furnace under water pressure always contains a considerable portion of moisture.
1920 Pop. Sci. Monthly June 90/2 Now supposing you wish to produce a water-pressure of 12 oz., what shall you do?
1999 Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement Apr. 53/1 The first step is to determine the static water pressure of the system.
water-pressure engine n. now historical a machine operated by means of hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic engine; = pressure engine n. (b) at pressure n.1 Compounds 3.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > other types of engine > [noun] > water
water engine1754
water-pressure engine1811
water motor1850
1811 Philos. Mag. 37 5 (heading) On water-pressure engines for mines.
1881 Encycl. Brit. XII. 520/1 Water motors may be divided into water-pressure engines, water wheels, and turbines.
2004 Technol. & Culture 45 794 The independent construction in the 1740s of water-pressure engines in France, southern Germany, and what was then Hungary.
water privilege n. U.S. (a) the right to use water (formerly esp. the right to use running water to drive machinery); frequently in plural; †(b) a stream or body of water capable of being used to drive machinery (cf. privilege n. 9) (obsolete).
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society > law > legal right > rights to do or use something > [noun] > rights to use water
watercourse1576
watering1681
water rights1793
water privilege1804
privilege1835
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > utilizable for driving machinery
water power?c1700
water privilege1804
1804 in H. H. Metcalf & O. G. Hammond Probate Rec. New Hampsh. (1915) III. 755 We set off to Deborah Shackford,..the Water Privilege belonging to said Estate.
1822 Massachusetts Spy 31 July Valuable Mills and Water Privileges.
1836 T. C. Haliburton Clockmaker (1837) xviii. 173 Its a clever country..full of mineral wealth, aboundin in superior water privileges and noble harbors.
1877 R. W. Raymond Statistics Mines & Mining 243 Just below this lode..Armstrong & Co. have located an admirable mill-site and water-privilege.
1929 Times 25 July 15/5 There are plenty of other ‘water privileges’ as our American cousins call them, in South Africa.
1963 P. J. Coleman Transformation of Rhode Island vii. 300 The Spragues acquired land and lumber interests in Maine and water privileges in South Carolina.
2008 Capital (Annapolis, Maryland) (Nexis) 27 Sept. e1 I didn't want something on the water, but I wanted something close to the water, with water privileges.
water purification n. (a) purification by water, spec. spiritual purification by the waters of baptism (now rare); (b) the removal of impurities from water to render it suitable for human use, esp. as drinking water.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > cleanness (ceremonial) > purification > [noun]
washingc1375
purgationa1382
purificationc1384
expiation1532
emundation1610
lustration1614
februationa1652
lustrating1653
water purification1722
samskara1807
1722 T. Johnson Rector Corrected 75 The Apostles..leave no Charge, nor yet lay any kind of Stress upon external Rites or Ceremonies of any Sort, neither upon Water-Purification or Baptism, upon Bread or Wine, or Oyl, Services.
1822 T. Patching Relig. Convincem. & Plea For Baptism & Communion of Spirit 217 Water purification cannot reach to our internal need, and cleanse us from the impurity of the stomach, nor from the various disorders which so frequently lurk within the natural system.
1848 C. H. Meeker tr. ‘J. H. Rausse’ Misc. Graefenberg Water-cure 113 All others would do well to take in hand the water-purification of their bodies.
1861 Chem. News 10 Aug. 79/1 The author thoroughly understands the subject of water purification.
1924 A. J. Allmand & H. J. T. Ellingham Princ. Appl. Electrochem. (ed. 2) xxviii. 696 Descriptions have been published of water-purification plants using the Siemens-Halske system at Paris and at Petrograd.
1994 Chicago Tribune 15 Apr. ii. 7/3 UNPROFOR—the peacekeeping arm of the United Nations—passed out water purification tablets.
2004 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 5 Jan. a4/2 The stars of the show likely will be their four reverse-osmosis water-purification units.
water-race n. (a) a race taking place on water, as a rowing or boating competition, etc.; (b) a race (race n.1 5b) for conveying water; cf. mill-race n.
ΚΠ
1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. III. lxxiii. 268 (margin) Rowing matches, or water-races.
1772 Ann. Reg. 1771 90/2 For..filling up upwards of 200 yards of the said water-race.
1869 R. B. Smyth Gold Fields Victoria 548 Table showing the Length of Water-races constructed.
1920 Pacific Motor Boat May 29/1 In order to awaken interest in water races and promote motor boating generally.
1997 A. Dreaver Eye for Country iii. 44 The Ohau was tapped to supply a system of water-races—useful for stock or irrigation, but not for town supply.
† water-rack n. Obsolete a form of torture in which the victim is forced to ingest dangerous quantities of water.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > torture > [noun] > water-cure (drinking)
water-rack1679
water cure1900
1679 J. Goodman Penitent Pardoned i. iv. 111 We count the water rack a very severe torture, to have that Element forced down a man's throat, till all the vessels of his Body are stretched and Tympanized.
1746 Hist. Man I. xxviii. 161 By their water-racks, making them suck in water with their breaths, they swelled the bodies to a monstrous proportion.
water ram n. (a) a hydraulic ram (see ram n.1 5a); (b) (as a mass noun) knocking or banging in a water pipe when the flow within it is suddenly stopped; = water hammer n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > lifting or hoisting equipment > [noun] > hydraulic
ram1801
water ram1806
hydraulic ram1808
water balance1843
1806 tr. J. Mongolfier in Jrnl. Nat. Philos. June 103 The following is the description of a water ram [Fr. belier hydraulique.].
1890 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 129 328 (heading) ‘Water Ram’ in Pipes.
1922 Jrnl. Amer. Water Wks. Assoc. 9 597 It is advisable for the fire department to provide relief valves for each hose line so that when shut-off nozzles are used the possibility of producing damage by water ram may be obviated.
2003 How it works: Sci. & Technol. (ed. 3) XIX. 2658 (caption) The water ram works on the principle of a water hammer.
water-ram v. rare transitive to tamp (soil, sand, etc.) using water.
ΚΠ
1897 F. C. Moore How to Build Home vii. 109 He shall..fill in the excavation and ‘water-ram’ the earth about the walls, using sufficient water to puddle and settle firmly.
1900 Appletons' Pop. Sci. Monthly Mar. 531 They are laid directly on the fine sand, which is water-rammed so as to be very compact.
water rate n. a charge made for use of a public water supply; in later use usually in plural.
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society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > local or municipal taxes or dues > [noun] > rates > for water
water rent1707
water rate1767
1767 Public Advertiser 12 May (advt.) A Substantial well-built-Dwelling House,..subject to a Ground Rent of not more than 6s. and 8d. per Year, and exempt from Scavenger and Water Rate.
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xxvii. 280 ‘What d'ye think it [sc. the money] was all for?’... ‘For the shepherd's water-rate, Sammy.’
1923 Boys' Life May 20/2 The government secures part of its expenses in other ways, such as the sale of public lands, receipts from the post-office, water rates, and payments for other services.
2006 Daily Tel. 7 June 19/4 Our bills were less than half the old water rates, despite the increased consumption with laundry and washing up.
water rent n. = water rate n.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > local or municipal taxes or dues > [noun] > rates > for water
water rent1707
water rate1767
1707 Post Man & Hist. Acct. 16 Dec. (advt.) 9 Houses Copyhold of Inheritance, let at 46 l. a year, (clear of Water Rent).
1802 R. Warner Tour Northern Counties II. 285 Only 110 l. is received from the water-rents of the houses to which the element is conducted.
1914 Christian Sci. Monitor 3 Aug. 1/2 In the last six months the city's total receipts amounted to $343,882,164, of which $115,118,628 was from taxes, assessments, water rents, [etc.].
2013 Vancouver Sun (Nexis) 27 Nov. a1 The B.C. government has..agreed to start taking a smaller cut from Hydro revenues,..eliminating some water rents in 2018.
water-repelling adj. tending to repel, or not to absorb, water; cf. hydrophobic adj. 2a, water-repellent adj.
ΚΠ
1840 Spectator 5 Sept. 858/2 When either plant or animal dies, and ceases to perform its functions, including the production of the water-repelling mucus among the rest, it is immediately subjected to the economy of the waters.
1950 Pop. Mech. Mar. 172 Several of the chemicals have an odd ability to cause some water-attracting surfaces to become water-repelling and oil-attracting.
2010 M. M. Domach Introd. Biomed. Engin. (ed. 2) xii. 235 When the angle exceeds 90°, we obtain the familiar beading that occurs on water-repelling surfaces.
water resource n. a natural source of water in an area, considered in regard to its actual or potential use; frequently in plural.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > [noun] > water available for use
water resource1839
1839 Morning Chron. 2 Mar. 3/3 They proposed to open the great water resources.
1907 Helena (Montana) Independent 16 Aug. 8/4 This part of the work is in charge of the water resource branch of the United States geological survey.
1921 Roswell (New Mexico) Daily Rec. 12 Oct. 1/7 The shallow water belt extends south to Willard... Late arrivals appreciate this water resource.
1976 National Observer (U.S.) 10 Apr. 1/3 A water-resources engineer with the World Bank.
2005 Queensland Country Life 8 Sept. 19/1 Farmers already fork out a significant amount of money to manage water resources.
water-retentive adj. tending to retain water; of or relating to water retention.
ΚΠ
1900 Royal Cornwall Gaz. 6 Dec. 2/5 Stable manure..increases the permeability of heavy lands and the water-retentive power and firmness of sandy and chalky soils.
1901 West Australian (Perth) 2 Oct. 10/2 To make underground tanks water retentive by means of cemented brickwork.
1946 Nature 13 July 58/1 The lower part of the profile consists..either of re-cemented chalk or compact sand, both of which are very water-retentive.
2014 Monterey County Herald (Calif.) (Nexis) 16 May Soil made water-retentive by the addition of lots of organic matter.
water-rhymer n. rare = water poet n. (a).
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society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > poet > [noun] > writer of doggerel
water poet1612
water-rhymera1637
doggerelist1725
doggereler1822
doggerelizer1827
a1637 B. Jonson Timber 617 in Wks. (1640) III Nay, if it were put to the question of the Water-rimers workes, against Spencers; I doubt not, but they would find more Suffrages.
1867 Sporting Rev. Dec. 426 His [sc. Taylor's] tirade against coaches..would have been a joke to what it now would be..and probably the poor water-rhymer would have drowned himself in his own element.
1922 Texas Rev. Oct. 32 John Taylor, water rimer, sculler, versifier to the Virgin Queen, ‘hydro-poet’..is quite the neatest example of the popular writer that we could desire.
water rights n. the right to the use of water in a tract of land (cf. water privilege n. (a)), or to navigate on particular waters; also in singular in same sense.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal right > rights to do or use something > [noun] > rights to use water
watercourse1576
watering1681
water rights1793
water privilege1804
privilege1835
1793 Columbian Museum (Philadelphia) Jan. 16 The purchase of the land, including the farm buildings..and water rights, &c. would probably be at fifteen dollars per acre.
1891 R. Wallace Rural Econ. Austral. & N.Z. xiii. 213 The question of water-right is also one urgently demanding legislation in Victoria.
1907 Q. Rev. Oct. 391 Where the water-rights of villages and small towns are..threatened.
1920 W. H. Mallock Mem. Life & Lit. xii. 175 He would..have had to buy from the neighbouring peasants certain way-leaves and water-rights.
1937 J. T. Shotwell At Paris Peace Conf. ii. 410 The Greeks, as traders, may..compare the water rights of the Aegean to the overland rights of a continental country.
2005 J. Hull Pale Morning Done 3 We've renegotiated some water rights so we can divert from Alice Creek.
water rod n. somewhat rare a divining rod used to search for underground sources of water; a dowsing rod.
ΚΠ
1816 Amer. Mag. Mar. 345 The very great convenience which I have derived from a knowledge of what I have heard called the ‘Water Rod’, has induced me to wish that this knowledge were by far more general.
1915 Pearson's Mag. 39 130 Like a diviner with a water-rod.
1949 Collier's 13 Aug. 56/4 This fellow's a professional dowser with a real water rod.
watersail n. (a) (originally) †a spritsail (obsolete); (later) a small sail set beneath a lower studdingsail, or under the boom of various other sails, often reaching nearly to the water, and spread in calm weather; (b) a sail lowered into the water to act as a sea anchor.B. Sandahl, in the work from which quot. 1373 is cited, notes that this use ‘is somewhat questionable, in the first place because of the form syles (note seylyerde a few lines earlier), and secondly because of the early date’.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > sail > [noun] > sail reaching nearly into water
watersail1373
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > other equipment of vessel > [noun] > drogue
drift-sail1627
stop-water1794
drift-anchor1874
drogue1874
sea-anchor1877
cone-anchor1902
watersail1925
1373 Naval Acct. in B. Sandahl Middle Eng. Sea Terms (1958) II. 128 (MED) j cheyne de xvj bras ij watersyles iiijxx ores pour le barge.
1466–7 Naval Acct. in B. Sandahl Middle Eng. Sea Terms (1958) II. 128 A Shyppe..with alle the Cablys and Ancrys pertenynge to the said shippe with mayn Sayll iij bonett' ffowk sayll with his bonet and the myson and also the watersayll and xj gonnys gret and smale.
1669 T. Allin Jrnl. 3 Aug. (1940) (modernized text) II. 103 I saw..besides his ordinary sails a water-sail abaft his mizzen.
1675 H. Teonge Diary (1825) 36 We have made a sayle for the starne of the ship, called a water sayle.
1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 127 Sloop's Water-Sail..It is occasionally spread under the boom of the main-sail in fair winds.
1883 Man. Seamanship for Boys' Training Ships Royal Navy 38 A watersail sets under the spanker-boom end.
1925 A. B. Armitage Cadet to Commodore 15 We dropped down on the tide, aided by a large watersail over the stern, to Garden Reach.
1933 P. Mitchell Deep Water 201 [At Calcutta] the mud pilot..brought with him a water sail, like a small royal with the foot weighted and a rope fastened to each corner; this was lowered over the stern into the water.
1990 Meridian (Midland Group) Spring 34/1 There were topsails and ballooners, watersails and ringtails—a vast wardrobe of sails that drove them along at breakneck speed.
water sand n. †(a) sand obtained from a river or freshwater lake, as distinct from sea-sand (obsolete); (b) (in drilling for water, oil, etc.) sand or sandstone with a high water content.
ΚΠ
1683 J. Reid Scots Gard'ner i. vi. 29 If you ar forced to use Sea or water sand.
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Sea and Water-sand Another Sand which we call Water-Sand, because taken from fresh Rivers, also Challenges a part in our Improvements.
1876 J. S. Caulkins Let. 11 Nov. in 5th Ann. Rep. State Board of Health Michigan (1878) 149 The water is reached in the sand, either quicksand, or in what the well-diggers call water-sand.
1922 Oil Weekly 13 May 67/3 The well was drilled past this water sand to a red limestone.
1992 Oil & Gas Jrnl. (Nexis) 8 June 46 (caption) Steam is injected into the reservoir without fracturing via the underlying water sand, which is permeable to the steam.
water-screw n. now rare a device for raising water by means of a helix rotating within a tube, an Archimedean screw; (more generally) any water pump working on the same principle.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > lifting or hoisting equipment > [noun] > for raising water
well bucket1477
flail?a1500
kettle-mill1570
scoop1580
water engine1611
chain-pumpa1618
cochlea1648
water-screw1648
engine1652
bucket-fountain1663
chain1682
noria1696
tub-engine1702
tub-gin1702
well-pole1727
screw engine1729
rag1747
rag pump1747
swape1773
picotah1780
water balance1800
ram1801
well sweep1818
shadoof1836
hydraulic belt1856
water carrier1875
bailer1883
trip-bucket1926
1648 Bp. J. Wilkins Math. Magick ii. xv. 275 Their invention of Archimedes..which is usually called Cochlea, or the water-screw.
1773 W. Emerson Princ. Mech. (ed. 3) 228 Archimedes's water screw.
1802 Jrnl. Nat. Philos. Oct. 86 But if the coating is detached, so as to remain at rest while the spirals revolve, the machine is called a waterscrew.
1992 D. Lessing Afr. Laughter 94 They discuss wind power, solar power, water-screws from the Middle East and Egypt, new ways of building dams.
water seal n. a seal that uses water to prevent the escape of gas or liquid; spec. = trap n.1 8a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > closed or shut condition > that which or one who closes or shuts > [noun] > that which closes an aperture > means of preventing passage of gas or liquid
register1612
water seal1847
water lock1863
seala1884
1847 J. Battin U.S. Patent 5,295 1/1 Which instrument I denominate a ‘Water Seal’, or ‘Hydrostatic Gas-Trap’.
1884 Cent. Mag. Dec. 259/1 The trap..depends for its efficiency on the permanence of its water-seal.
2004 P. Hymers New Home Builder xi. 225 To stop the water seals being broken (pulled out) by the air pressures that can exist in the system, maximum lengths apply.
water security n. the state or condition of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of water, esp. clean drinking water; see also food security n. at food n. Compounds 2.
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1920 West Australian (Perth) 8 Mar. 4/2 The provision of an adequate supply of water for the metropolitan area is not a subject which..can be..adjourned and renewed indefinitely... The city and suburbs..have been working on a very narrow margin of water security for some years.
1988 Assoc. Press (Nexis) 18 Aug. Desalinization plants complement the reservoir, they are good for drinking purposes, but it is the reservoir that helps vital development going... There can be no food security without water security.
2021 Impact News Service (Nexis) 29 Apr. Water security—both sustainable supply and clean quality—is a critical aspect in ensuring healthy communities.
water shaft n. a shaft that contains water, esp. one made to drain a mine or to provide a supply of water for industrial or domestic use.
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society > occupation and work > workplace > places where raw materials are extracted > mine > [noun] > shaft > to collect water in salt-mine
water shaft1708
society > occupation and work > workplace > places where raw materials are extracted > mine > [noun] > shaft > to receive water from adjoining (coal-)shaft
water shaft1708
1708 J. C. Compl. Collier 6 in T. Nourse Mistery of Husbandry Discover'd (ed. 3) Water which rises at the Coal-Shaft, may run into this Water or half Shaft, to be drawn there by Horses or Water Wheels.
1891 Jrnl. Soc. Arts 17 Apr. 412/1 The ‘well’ is always held to include not only the water-shaft, but the area of land watered, or, at least, protected, by the well.
2008 Jrnl. Biblical Lit. 127 433 The legend of David's conquest of Jerusalem seems to allude to the penetration of the city via its water shaft.
† watershake n. Obsolete rare = water-quake n.
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the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > movement of waves > [noun] > convulsion caused by eruption
watershake1577
seaquake1680
water wave1851
tidal wave1878
tsunami1897
seismic sea-wave1905
1577 R. Holinshed Chron. II. 1039/2 On the Saterday after,..chaunced an other earthquake, or as some write, a watershake, beeyng so vehemente, that it made the Shippes in the hauens to beate one againste an other, [etc.].
1581 A. Anderson Serm. Paules Crosse 101 That vniuersall Earthquake, and like watershake, whiche draue vs into present feare.
† water-shaken adj. English regional (northern) Obsolete (of agricultural land or soil) waterlogged, excessively water-retentive, or poorly drained. [Perhaps compare shake-hole n. at shake n.1 Compounds 2.]
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1770 C. Varlo New Syst. Husbandry II. xxv. 167 Sometimes..the sand is mixed with a black, light, smooth earth, inclined to a turf, or peat mould. This is a light water-shaken earth.
1805 R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 537 On a red greet, and water shaken soil, incumbent on clay.
1840 J. Morton On Nature & Property Soils (ed. 2) 81 In Durham the soil is weak and wet, being a moist, soft loam, on yellow ocherous clay, and is called water shaken.
† watershard n. [ < water n. + shard n.1 I.] Obsolete a deepened channel made by banking up the sides of a stream.Attested only in place names.
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the world > the earth > water > body of water > channel of water > [noun] > channel deepened by banking
watershard1419
1419 in B. Sundby Stud. Middle Eng. Dial. Material Worcs. Rec. (1963) 149 (MED) Watersherdusforlong.
1470 in Statutes Parl. Ireland (1914) III. 682 Repairerount le dit Gourge..come necessite requiert lessauntz..en la miente del file del auaunt dit ewe xxiiij. pees en laiour appelle le Kynges shard aultrement appelle le Watersharde.
† water shear n. Obsolete (chiefly Scottish) = watershed n.1 1a; cf. shear n.2 4.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > high land > ridge > [noun] > dividing
shodec1330
shed1530
height of land1725
watershed1764
water shear1765
ridge1773
divide1807
water-parting1837
coteau1839
1765 A. Menzies in Rep. Annexed Estates Scotl. 1755–1769 (1973) 83 There is not only soil but climate to fight..against, as it lies within half a mile of the water shire of Scotland.
1844 Zoologist 2 421 A line running from Loch Spey to Loch Monar, the course of which is regulated by the water-shears between the east and west coasts.
1850 Scotsman 18 Sept. Ascending the head-waters of one basin, crossing the water shier and descending those of another.
† water shedder n. Astrology Obsolete rare the part of the constellation Aquarius traditionally interpreted as a stream of water falling from the jar of the Water Carrier; = sense 27.
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the world > the universe > constellation > zodiacal constellation > [noun] > Aquarius > part of
water shedder1546
water1556
water-pot1560
1546 tr. A. P. Gasser Prognostication sig. c.iiiv The Mone shal be ioyned with the cloudy sterre that is in the beginning of ye Water sheder of the Waterer [L. effusionis aquæ Aquarii].
water shelf n. U.S. regional (southern and south Midland) (now chiefly historical) a shelf or bench on which a bucket of water and other utensils are kept for drinking and washing.
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1853 J. G. M. Ramsey Ann. Tennessee viii. 716 The whole furniture..were a plain home-made bedstead or two,..a water shelf and a bucket [etc.].
1909 Amer. Mag. Nov. 127/1 On the water shelf beside him stood a cedar bucket ages old.
2008 K. Gayle Feed Goose 154 On the back porch across from the dining room was the water shelf where the large wooden bucket and washpan were kept.
water ship n. now historical †(a) (perhaps) a ferry boat (obsolete rare); †(b) a kind of tugboat formerly used off the Dutch coast (obsolete); (c) a ship used to carry fresh water. [Compare Middle Dutch, Dutch waterschip kind of shallow-draft fishing vessel with water tanks to keep the fish alive (14th cent.), this kind of ship used to tow larger vessels through shallow water, especially the Pampus, a muddy shoal off Amsterdam (1598 in the passage translated in quot. 1601), ship used to carry fresh water to supply settlements (1671); in sense (b) after Dutch.]
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > trading vessel > cargo vessel > [noun] > carrying food or water
water ship1653
paddy boat1698
pippiner1725
ark1809
beef-boat1836
forage-boat1848
fruiter1860
fruit-clipper1864
oranger1880
c1400 in J. L. Fisher Medieval Farming Gloss. (1968) 40 Waterschippe.
1601 W. Walker tr. J. C. van Neck Jrnl. Voy. Eight Shippes of Amsterdam f. 1v The great ships were towed ouer the Pampus by three water ships [Du. waterschepen].
1653 Duke of Albemarle 2 Lett. from Fleet 5 I earnestly desire you will take care that a considerable proportion may be suddenly provided for us and sent, with such Victuals and Waterships as are yet behinde.
1688 W. Carr Remarks Govt. Germanie 41 The great Shipps built at Amsterdam had like to have proved of no use, had not the ingenious Pensionarie de Wit found out a devise to carry them over the Pampus, betwixt those they call Water Shipps.
1805 C. Collingwood Let. 18 Oct. in Ld. Nelson Disp. & Lett. (1846) VII. 127 (note) I shall be glad to see the Water-Ships as many of the Fleet are getting low.
1902 Fort Wayne (Indiana) News 5 Dec. 9/7 The watership Arethusa sailed today for Culebra, carrying 2,800 tons of water for Dewey's fleet.
2010 R. Knight & M. Wilcox Sustaining the Fleet 61 By November that year [sc. 1809] the veteran ex-East Indiaman Glatton..was moored at Sheerness as a ‘water ship’.
water shute n. = water chute n. [Compare earlier watershoot n. 2.]
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1667 Inventory in Wilts. Notes & Queries (1907) Mar. 391 Item, in the brewhouse, two coolers,..two water shutes with old tubbs and other lumber.
1828 Jackson's Oxf. Jrnl. 16 Feb. Scalding copper tubs and water shutes.
1882 F. W. P. Jago Anc. Lang. & Dial. Cornwall 206 Launder,..a water shute of a building.
1902 Art Jrnl. July 230/2 For purely physical diversion, have they not thoughtfully provided a switchback railway and a water-shute.
2004 P. Hobhouse Gardens of Persia 94 (caption) Descending pools and rills.., lined with turquoise tiles and linked by water shutes, lead to the [garden's] main cypress-lined axis.
water sign Astrology any of the three signs of the zodiac, Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio, associated with the element water; (also) a person born under one of these signs.In quot. 1697, the author divides the zodiac signs only into the elements water and earth, with two signs (Pisces and Cancer) being associated with water and the remaining signs with earth (apart from Capricorn and Aquarius to which he assigns both elements). [Compare earlier fire sign n. at fire n. and int. Compounds 2a. Compare also earlier watery triplicity n. at watery adj. Compounds 3.]
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1697 T. Creech in tr. Manilius Five Bks. ii. 90 The Water Signs are Pisces and Cancer.
1883 G. Massey Nat. Genesis II. ix. 82 The three water-signs of the zodiac.
1945 Morning Herald (Hagerstown, Maryland) 21 Nov. 10/3 Subjects of this water sign [sc. Scorpio] have keen intelligence and high ambitions.
1982 C. Rose Astrol. Counselling vi. 77 We may say that the Water signs follow a general line of development based on subjective experience.
1998 Spirit No. 9. 88/1 Jupiter arriving in your fellow water sign of Pisces on February 4th opens horizons and expands bank accounts for Cancerians born in late June.
2011 People (Nexis) 5 June (Features section) 1 A water sign such as you loves a dramatic opportunity, so..dive in.
watersilk n. and adj. (a) n. = watered silk at watered adj.1 5a; a garment of this material; (b) adj. made of this material; also figurative. [Compare earlier sense 30 and Compounds 2m.]
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from silk > [noun] > types of > patterned or figured > waved or watered
moire antique1660
watersilk1831
moiré1851
1831 Morning Chron. 25 Feb. A train of lilac water silk.
1852 Queen Victoria Jrnl. 10 Sept. (1980) 74 I wore a white bonnet, a grey water silk, and..my plaid scarf over my shoulder.
1864 London Rev. 15 Oct. p/ i/1 With what pride the delicate toolings, the grolier patterns, the gilded or water silk linings of favourite Parisian workmen are shown!
1926 Glasgow Herald 1 Apr. 8/4 The copies are bound in magnificent leather volumes with sheets of water-silk.
1953 C. Day Lewis Ital. Visit iv. 47 Rosetted oxen move..The loose-kneed watersilk gait of Priestesses vowed to Love.
2011 Evening News (Edinb.) (Nexis) 16 June 24 This year I'm wearing a royal blue watersilk and taffeta dress and jacket with a cerise pink fascinator.
water sill n. Geology (a) a horizontal stratum of porous or poorly consolidated, often waterlogged, sandstone or other sedimentary rock; spec. (with the) a formation of this kind in the northern Pennines in England (also called the tuft: cf. tuff n.); (b) a thin layer of water trapped between strata.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > sedimentary formation > [noun] > stratum > stratum by constitution > sandstone
water sill1817
post1876
sand-bat1876
sand-burr1876
1817 Trans. Geol. Soc. 4 65 The water-sill, called also tuft, a very porous light-coloured sandstone, of a soft texture from the loose aggregation of the small grains which compose it.
1904 Royal Comm. Coal Supplies: 2nd Rep. II. 116 in Parl. Papers (Cd. 1991) XXIII. 7 What is known as a water sill.
1978 W. Fyfe et al. Fluids in Earth's Crust xi. 294 It is likely that the reservoirs would not form lakes of almost infinite extent but that they tend to form ‘water sills’.
1990 K. C. Dunham Geol. Northern Pennine Orefield (ed. 2) ii. 20/2 The Tuft or Water Sill varies lithologically from a fine-grained brown micaceous sandstone to a condition approaching coarse grit.
2007 D. Okaya et al. Continental Plate Boundary 347 The deep conductive layer in New Zealand may have originated as a ‘water sill’ facilitating water-weakening, localized deformation.
water sink n. [ < water n. + sink n.1] a sink (in various senses) that receives or contains water; esp. a swallow hole or sinkhole (sinkhole n. 2).
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the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hole or pit > [noun] > pot-hole or swallow-hole
water sink1553
swallow1610
swallow-hole1660
estuary1665
swallet1668
cockpit1683
sinkhole1772
sink1791
pot1797
water-swallow1811
shake-hole1823
pothole1826
fleet-hole1839
spout hole1849
katavothron1869
ponor1890
sump1951
society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > [noun] > for fluid > sink
sink1432
sinkstone1432
water sink1798
1553 Protocol Bk. R. Lumsdane (Edinb. Reg. House) 274 Beginand at the water sink beȝond the draine wall.
1786 T. Hurtley Acct. Nat. Curiosities Environs Malham 35 From the Apex of this Cove, after..a succession of rainy and tempestuous weather, when the Water-sink at the Southern extremity of the Tarn is unable to receive the overflux of the Lake there falls a large and heavy torrent.
1798 Hull Advertiser 13 Oct. 1/2 An excellent kitchen and scullery, in which there is a pipe for water, a water sink, with other conveniences.
1890 Nature 27 Nov. 93 The water which flows out of Malham Tarn and disappears down a ‘water-sink’ to the south of the tarn is the stream which emerges at Malham Cove.
1919 J. Hergesheimer Lay Anthony 14 A wooden screen divided them, hid the shelves of bottles, the water sink, and the other properties and ingredients of the druggist's profession.
1975 W. C. Found et al. Econ. & Environmental Impacts Land Drainage Ont. vi. 63 Under dry conditions perched wetlands may actually act as water sinks as storm runoff is taken into storage and lost through evapotranspiration.
2010 B. Evans Walks Silverdale & Arndale (ed. 2) 12/2 These hollows are called dolines, and sometimes have a water sink at the base.
water sky n. Nautical a portion of the sky near the horizon whose dark colour indicates that there is open water in that direction.
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the world > the universe > sky, heavens > [noun] > dark sky near horizon
water sky1819
1819 in Lett. during Voy. in Western Arctic Sea (1821) vi. 27 In looking southward, to the east of these islands, we perceived what the northern seamen call a water-sky: that is, a dark appearance of the sky, denoting water under it in that quarter.
1881 A. Leslie tr. A. E. Nordenskiöld Voy. Vega I. x. 518 A blue water-sky was still visible out to sea, indicating that open water was to be found there.
1920 G. W. Young Mountain Craft viii. 393 There is..a ‘water’ sky—the unmistakable look in a sky which is reflecting great unseen sheets of water.
1992 Harper's Mag. Mar. 71/1 Where cracks [in the ice] have appeared, the sky darkens, reflecting the water. ‘Water sky’ it is called.
† water-slang n. Obsolete rare the slang of rowers.
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the mind > language > a language > register > [noun] > jargon > used by other groups
indenture Englisha1568
water language1702
jockeyism1802
slum1812
Polari1846
stable-language1856
scientificism1860
water-slang1860
Oxfordish1863
galley-slang1867
pitmatic1885
commercialese1910
legalese1911
academese1917
Hollywoodese1920
businessese1921
Hollywoodism1925
trade unionese1927
advertisingese1929
officese1935
sociologese1940
Whitehallese1940
Newspeak1949
patter1949
Pentagonese1950
educationese1958
computerese1960
managementese1961
spacespeak1963
computer-speak1968
techno-jargon1972
business-speak1973
Eurospeak1975
Euro-jargon1976
technospeak1976
doctorspeak1977
corporate-speak1978
medspeak1979
mellowspeak1979
technobabble1981
teenspeak1982
management-speak1986
codespeak1987
1860 W. W. Reade Liberty Hall, Oxon. I. v. 77 He listened to their semi-nautical oaths,..and their water-slang with veneration.
water smoke n. (a) U.S. whitish smoke arising from a kiln during the first stage of firing bricks (during which moisture is driven off); (b) mist that rises from a body of water which is warmer than the cold air above it.In quot. 1847 perhaps instead: fine water spray, as around a waterfall.
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the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > cloud > mist > [noun] > thick mist or fog > sea-fog
haar1662
sea fog1796
water smoke1813
fret1842
water-eynd1883
1813 Arch. Useful Knowl. 3 406 In about three days and three nights, the top of the kiln must be examined, in order to see whether the fire is up, that is, whether it has reached the top of the kiln; if so, the smoke (called water smoke,) will change from a light to a black hue.
1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess vii. 153 Spill Their thousand wreaths of dangling water-smoke.
1865 W. White Eastern Eng. II. 176 The Eynd, or watersmoke, as it is called in Norfolk, is a remarkable phenomenon, occurring mostly between spring and autumn, and with peculiar suddenness.
1892 Clay-Worker July 40/1 Previously we had always used wood to take off the water-smoke.
1922 Clay-worker May 552/1 When or shortly after the temperature has reached 300 degrees, or if one is working without a pyrometer, when the water-smoke from the stacks has become very thin.
2003 AMC Outdoors Mag. Oct. 28/2 In the pale light of pre-dawn, Shannon LeRoy paddles her kayak through the thick ‘water smoke’ hovering over Second Roach Pond.
water-sneak n. slang (now historical) robbery from a waterborne vessel (see quot. 1819); a person who carries out such robberies.
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the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > [noun] > from vessels on water
mudlark1796
water-sneak1807
1807 Narr. Life H. Tufts iii. iv. 317 Water sneak, breaking into a vessel.
1819 J. H. Vaux New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Memoirs II. 223 Water-sneak, robbing ships or vessels on a navigable river or canal, by getting on board unperceived, generally in the night. The water-sneak is lately made a capital offence.
1837 J. Jones Spartacus (ed. 2) iv. iv. 41 Such filching water-sneaks, such Weeds of Men!
1971 Sat. Rev. (U.S.) 13 Nov. 84/2 Until Oliver [i.e. the moon] waned..there would be no evening sneaks (burglarizing a house at night) or water sneaks (boarding a ship after dark with intent to steal).
2012 A. Prentice & J. Weil Black Arts xiii. 144 They all turned out for the big day: foisters, whiddlers, the bawkers and the beggars, nippers, rufflers and the water-sneaks.
water softener n. a chemical agent, or a device or apparatus, used in water-softening.
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the world > matter > chemistry > equipment or apparatus > [noun] > miscellaneous apparatus
bain1477
speculum1650
filtering paper1651
wheel-fire1662
filter paper1670
sun furnace1763
respirator1789
candle-ball1794
rectifier1822
candle-bomb1823
filter1823
oxyhydrogen blowpipe1823
shade1837
graduator1839
pipette1839
thistle funnel1849
pressure tube1852
ozonizer1858
dialyser1861
Liebig condenser1861
Sprengel pump1866
Sprengel tube1866
water softener1867
mercury pump1869
Bunsen burner1870
dialysator1877
test-mixer1877
tube-condenser1877
Kipp1879
reflux condenser1880
policeman1888
converter1889
pressure boiler1891
spot plate1896
hydrogen electrode1898
sampler1902
reactor1903
fume-chamber1905
Permutit1910
microburner1911
salt bridge1915
precipitator1919
Raschig ring1920
microneedle1921
titrator1928
laboratory coatc1936
spray tower1937
precipitron1938
ion exchanger1941
potentiostat1942
chemostat1950
Knudsen pipette1951
pH-stat1956
cryopump1958
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > freedom from impurities > removal of impurities > desalination or softening of water > [noun] > apparatus or chemical
ship-fountain1626
water softener1867
softening works1877
1867 Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 232 The exquisite whiteness which some continental laundresses obtain in their linen results from their use of borax as a water-softener.
1930 L. Munday Mounty's Wife xvii. 207 This has since been all changed owing to the installation of water softeners.
2005 C. Mendelson Laundry i. iv. 85 Trisodium phosphate..is a laundry booster and a water softener.
water-softening n. the process of removing calcium and magnesium salts from water, esp. to prevent the deposition of scale; cf. soft adj. 25; frequently attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > freedom from impurities > removal of impurities > desalination or softening of water > [noun]
desalinization1860
water-softening1862
demineralization1903
desalting1945
desalination1958
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > freedom from impurities > removal of impurities > desalination or softening of water > [adjective]
water-softening1862
1862 Internat. Exhib.: Official Catal. Industr. Dept. (ed. 3) 39/1 Filtering, water softening, and water testing apparatus.
1869 G. Dodd Dict. Manuf. 294/1 Water-softening for boilers, regenerative furnaces, fixed and portable steam-engines.
1931 Times 2 Dec. 23/4 (advt.) Water softening plant controlling entire house supply.
2003 S. Mackay Heligoland (2004) iii. 34 The water-softening unit itself has been calcified by the hard London water.
water solubility n. the property of being water soluble; the degree to which something is water soluble.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > action or process of dissolving > [noun] > quality or property of being soluble > in water
water solubility1880
1880 Monthly Rev. Med. & Pharmacy June 182/1 The water solubility of quinia sulphate is not materially affected by presence of the other alkaloid sulphates.
1963 Estherville (Iowa) Daily News 26 Apr. 8 (advt.) Many fertilizer companies suggest a high water solubility while others stress an average water solubility.
2007 J. P. Uetrecht & W. Trager Drug Metabolism ii. 4 Water solubility, which is a very important property of a drug, is based on interactions with water.
water soluble adj. soluble in water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > action or process of dissolving > [adjective] > soluble > in water
soluble1836
water soluble1872
1872 Manch. Weekly Times 24 Feb. 1/4 (advt.) Pure magenta crystals, water soluble.
1936 Science 21 Aug. 174/2 Toxic effects on barley were found to be roughly in proportion to the concentration of the water soluble arsenic in the soil.
2006 Wanderlust Mar. 130/2 Vitamin C is water soluble and not stored in the body.
water solution n. a solution in which the solvent is water.
ΚΠ
1848 Lit. Gaz. 1 Apr. 232/1 A water solution composed of 500 parts of carbonate of potash, 20 of chloride of copper, 40 of sulphate of tin, and 250 of azotate of ammonia.
1978 G. W. Miller et al. Assessm. Ozone & Chlorine Dioxide Technol. Treatm. Munic. Water Supplies 15 Ozone is relatively unstable in a water solution but is considerably more stable in air.
2014 Epoch Times (N.Y. ed.) b4/2 Aeroponics..involves growing suspended plants by spraying the roots with a nutrient-rich water solution.
water-sorted adj. (of particles, gravel, etc.) sorted into a gradient of size by moving water, esp. glacial meltwater.
ΚΠ
1866 Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. 22 10 There are banks of water-sorted gravel at various heights and unconnected with any ‘col’—a fact which cannot be accounted for by the ice-dam theory.
1959 A. H. McLintock Descr. Atlas N.Z. 36 Soils derived from fine volcanic ash and watersorted derivatives.
2008 J. F. Hart & S. S. Ziegler Landscapes of Minnesota ii. 30 When the water lost velocity, it deposited these sediments in horizontal layers in which all the particles are roughly the same size. These water-sorted sediments are called ‘outwash deposits’.
water space n. Engineering any part of a steam boiler that holds water.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > boiler > [noun] > parts of > compartments
fireplace1611
firebox1735
fire chamber1808
water space1824
water pocket1863
steam-space1867
steam-room1875
1824 Mechanics' Mag. 13 Mar. 4/2 B B B, the boiler; w w w, water space in the boiler.
1957 Handbk. for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen (Brit. Transport Commission) 53 Washout plugs, Handhole and Mudhole Doors. These are fitted to facilitate periodical inspection and cleaning of the boiler water spaces.
2000 P. W. B. Semmens & A. J. Goldfinch How Steam Locomotives really Work ii. 44 Scale deposits build up on all surfaces where water actually boils, which includes the water-side of the inner firebox and in the water-spaces around it.
† waterspelling n. [ < water n. + spelling n.3] Obsolete divination by signs derived from water; hydromancy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > foresight, foreknowledge > prediction, foretelling > divination by natural phenomena > [noun] > by water
hydromance1390
hydromancyc1400
waterspelling1587
hydromantica1592
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. xxii. 381 Varro reporteth..that Numa vsed Waterspelling [Fr. l'hydromantie], and had communication with Diuels.
† water-spinel n. Obsolete rare a colourless variety of spinel.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > oxides and hydroxides > [noun] > spinel group AB2 O4 > others
picotite1814
franklinite1820
hausmannite1831
hercynite1849
jacobsite1869
hetaerolite1877
trippkeite1881
sapphirine1883
water-spinel1883
manganomagnetite1890
chrome-spinel1892
magnesiochromite1892
magnochromite1892
picrochromite1920
trevorite1921
ulvöspinel1947
taaffeite1951
nickel spinel1961
1883 Encycl. Brit. XVI. 386 Chloro-spinel, grass-green with a yellowish white streak... Water-spinel colourless; from Ceylon.
water spirit n. (a) an essence or principle considered as having the characteristics of water; (b) a supernatural being regarded as inhabiting, or embodying the spirit of, water.
ΚΠ
1648 J. Sparrow tr. J. Böhme Descr. Three Princ. i. 4 The harshnesse remaineth overcome and feeble, which is now the water-spirit [Ger. der Wasser-geist].
1665 Disc. conc. Devils & Spirits ii. iv. 53 in R. Scot Discov. Witchcraft (ed. 3) Ianthe, is sayd by Magitians, to be a water Spirit, who is ever present when any are drownd in the water.
a1681 J. Pordage Theologia Mystica (1683) 143 All this is brought about..by the Descent of the proud and self-elevating Fire-spirit, and the Ascent of the meek and humble Water-spirit.
1869 J. Ruskin Queen of Air i. §12 Myriads of other water spirits, of whom Nereus is the chief.
1927 W. Plomer Notes for Poems 30 The water spirits laughed at her.
1958 L. J. Rather tr. R. Virchow Disease, Life, & Man 115 There is no spiritus rector, no life-spirit, water-spirit, or fire-spirit to be recognized therein.
2004 D. Smiedt Are we there Yet? (2007) vii. 151 If the offering fails to be accepted by the gods, malevolent water spirits known as zwidutane will cut the cord and the child will disappear into the opaque depths.
water splash n. a water-filled dip or shallow ford in a road; (in later use also) a similar feature created as an obstacle in a race (for horses, cars, etc.).Quot. 1820 is a misquotation of a passage from W. Browne Britannia's Pastorals (1613) I. v. 103; the original reading is water plashes (cf. water-plash n. at Compounds 1b).
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the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > other
well streamOE
letch1138
well strandc1429
pow1481
black water1483
wash1530
gravel-brook1591
spring branch1650
pour1790
water splash1820
chalk stream1829
understream1830
water feeder1831
quebrada1833
black spring1847
weir-stream1889
obsequent1895
anti-dip1900
resequent1901
misfit1910
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > other means of passage or access > [noun] > place where something may be crossed > fordable place > ford > portion of road crossed by stream
wash-waya1631
water splash1820
1820 Retrosp. Rev. 2 i. 172 Through the quagmires, and red water splashes, The boyes runne dabling through thicke and thin.
1835 C. Dickens Let. 18 Dec. (1965) I. 109 Our driver..ingeniously drove the party into a ‘water-splash’.
1886 Bicycling News 1 Oct. Last Saturday, two riders on a tandem tricycle attempted to rush through Shepperton ‘water splash’.
1971 Irish Times 23 Aug. 6/1 [They] lost their chance of victory with a stop and a tumble at the water-splash near the end.
1995 Church Times 10 Mar. 24/3 Outside is a much-loved lane of my childhood, a helter-skelter of a road which rushes one through a water-splash.
2009 J. Zuehlke Rally Cars 5 (caption) Norwegian driver Petter Solberg powers his Subaru Impreza WRC rally car through a water splash.
water sponge n. originally Scottish a piece of absorbent sponge; esp. a wet sponge used for washing or cleaning.
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the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > wiping > [noun] > sponging > sponge
spongec1000
water sponge1497
mop1838
sponge cloth1862
Turkey sponge1902
1497 in T. Dickson Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1877) I. 377 Item, that samyn day, in Cambuskynneth, for water spowngis to the King, iij s. iiij d.
?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in Poems (1998) I. 52 I haif a watter spunge for wa within my wyde clokis. Than wring I it full wylely and wetis my chekis.
1577 W. Harrison Descr. Scotl. vi. 8/1 in R. Holinshed Chron. I There was sometime a stone found here..muche like to a water sponge or pumise.
1612 Bk. Customs & Valuation in A. Halyburton Ledger (1867) 292 Watter spounges for chirurgeans.
1631 J. Lesly Epithrene 296 Our Sinnes..Vnto which our Teares are like vnto a Water-Spunge. If wee Weepe, then our Sinnes are blotted out of that Booke of Remembrance.
1803 Gen. Standing Orders 3rd Dragoon Guards 82 The underneath articles will be delivered by Clerks of troops... 1 Pair of Saddle Bags, lock and key... 1 Water Sponge [etc.].
1912 W. C. Browne Pract. Text Bk. Lithogr. viii. 86 Clean the edges and other parts of the stone where there is no work with a water-sponge and piece of snake or pumice-stone.
2009 Bristol Post (Nexis) 16 May 18 I will even be held in the stocks for all current and ex-pupils to throw water sponges at!
water-spot v. intransitive (of fabric or paint) to show as a permanent stain any mark made by a drop of water.
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the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > become soiled [verb (intransitive)] > become otherwise stained
iron-mould1898
water-spot1909
1909 Bloomfield (Indiana) News 21 Oct. 5/5 This Finish..dries with the same soft, flat, velvet effect of a water color, yet it will not water spot.
1932 N.Y. Times 31 Jan. 18/3 (advt.) It is washable..and it will not water-spot.
1964 McCall's Sewing in Colour viii. 118/1 Test a scrap of your fabric first to be sure that it does not water-spot.
2005 C. Mendelson Laundry i. i. 9 Try washing or cleaning off just the spot with plain water..(unless the garment is a silk or other fabric that may water-spot).
water-spotting n. the staining of fabric, or of a painted surface, by drops of water.
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the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [noun] > spotted condition > spotting > by water
water-spotting1910
1910 Fort Wayne (Indiana) News 15 Feb. 12/1 (advt.) The ‘Shedwater’ finish..prevents all possibility of water spotting.
1984 Pop. Mech. Aug. 59/2 The Wallhide paint line boasts easy stain removal, resistance to water spotting, [etc.].
2007 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 17 Nov. j6 Advanced smart steam technology that automatically generates the right amount of steam..and an anti-drip feature to protect fabrics from water-spotting.
water sprout n. a side shoot growing from a latent bud in the trunk or a main branch of a tree; a sucker; = watershoot n. 1.
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the world > plants > part of plant > shoot, sprout, or branch > [noun] > sucker or side-shoot
scourgea1382
by-sprouting1562
sucker1577
lateral1578
offset1642
spiney1649
side shoot1658
appendix1664
by-shoot1669
water sprout1688
turion1725
tiller1733
surculus1775
suckler1796
suckling1798
offshoot1814
stool1818
base shoot1835
side-tiller1903
toe1952
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. xix. 474/1 He beareth Argent, two Sprigs, or Water Sprouts leafed and sliped, the one contrary bowing and debruseing the other, in forme of a Laurell or Garland Vert.
1894 Science 9 Mar. 133/2 In fact there is but little difference in this respect between the water-sprout and the nursery grown apple tree.
1944 U. P. Hedrick Fruits for Home Garden vi. 51 Such shoots are called suckers, or water-sprouts, and numbers of them are deleterious.
2013 News-Jrnl. (Daytona Beach, Florida) (Nexis) 28 Sept. Prune broken branches, suckers from the bottom, or water sprouts any time of the year.
water stain n. (a) a stain made on something by contact with water; (b) a colouring preparation (see stain n. 6a) consisting of pigment dissolved or suspended in water.
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the world > matter > colour > colouring > colouring matter > [noun] > stain
staining1541
stain1758
water stain1830
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [noun] > stained condition > stain > by water
water stain1830
watermark1859
1830 Lady's Bk. Aug. 112/2 This process will cause the water-stain entirely to disappear.
1892 Girl's Own Paper 27 Aug. 759/2 His plain but neat understandings had been coloured a nice walnut with Jackson's water-stain.
1913 E. F. Benson Thorley Weir i. 26 There was something so completely satisfying and suitable in this rough river-dress that he would not have added any embellishment to it, nor have expunged a single water-stain or sun-bleach.
1991 Pop. Mech. Sept. 51/3 If water stain is used, first dampen the wood with a sponge to raise the grain.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 23 Oct. c28/2 A hurricane flooded the farm, leaving water stains on furniture.
water-standing adj. rare †(a) (of the eyes) brimming with tears (obsolete); (b) standing in water.
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1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 v. vi. 40 Manie a Widdow for her husbands death, And many an infants water standing eie [1623 water-standing-eye]..Shall curse the time that euer thou wert borne.
1841 Edinb. Rev. Jan. 417 His water-standing eyes looked their last farewell at those red towers..now lost for ever.
1869 E. E. Witt tr. Homer 5th & 9th Bks. Odyssey v. 18 He sat 'twixt crag and beach..And o'er the dreary waste of barren sea Unceasing gazed with water-standing eye.
1942 W. Faulkner Go down, Moses & Other Stories 340 The planters..had wrested from the impenetrable jungle of water-standing cane and cypress..cotton patches which..became fields and then plantations.
water stang n. [ < water n. + stang n.1] English regional (north-western) (now rare) a rail placed as a barrier or bridge over a stream.
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1794 St. James's Chron. 25 Dec. He was not deterred from trying to cross it [sc. the beck], by means of the two waterstangs, or rails, the lower of which was under water, and the upper only just above it.
1859 W. Dickinson Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland 130 Watter stang, a pole fixed across a stream.
1879 W. Dickinson Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland (ed. 2) Suppl. 134/2 Watter yet, a heck hung below a watter stang or pole, to act as a fence.
waterstead n. (a) chiefly English regional (northern) the bed or course of a river or stream; (also) a place on the bank of a river or stream where cattle can go down to drink; (b) a tract or stretch of water; a waterfront (somewhat rare).
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the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > bed of
rakeeOE
channela1387
cannela1400
watercourse1566
alveus1686
waterstead1775
fiumara1820
stream-way1822
wash1894
the world > the earth > land > land mass > shore or bank > bank > [noun] > of river > where cattle drink
waterstead1775
1775 J. Watson Hist. Halifax 548 Waterstead, the Bed or Course of a river or brook.
1847 J. O. Halliwell Dict. Archaic & Provinc. Words II Water-stead, the bed of a river.
1865 E. Waugh Besom Ben v. 51 ‘Yo two heighve it [sc. a donkey]; an' aw 'll go to th' tother side an' 'tice it wi' a bit o' brade.’ ‘Well, then,’ said Rip, ‘Let 's drive it up th' wayter-stid.’
1868 J. C. Atkinson Gloss. Cleveland Dial. 495 Water-stead, the bed of a river,..still exists.
1919 Pacific Ports Sept. 89/1 Practically all the ports on the South American Pacific Coast are nothing more than open watersteads.
1961 Joplin (Missouri) Globe 2 Apr. c4/3 Harry Price of Anderson two bass..in the central Cowskin area. (Note to Bill Rhea: That fellow's getting right into our waterstead.)
1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw: Lincs. Dial. Dict. 336/2 Watter-stead, the bed or course of a stream.
water stock n. †(a) a basin for holy water; = holy-water stock n. at holy water n. Compounds 2 (obsolete); (b) a stock (or share) in a water company; (as mass noun) such shares collectively.
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society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > stock > types of
joint stock1615
fancya1652
water stock1675
Bank stock1694
India stock1702
government stock1734
inscription1800
gas stock1820
railway stock1836
common stock1852
floater1871
blue chip1874
trunks1892
traction1896
omnium1902
mummy1903
motors1908
rollover1947
blue-chipper1953
red chip1968
large-cap1982
small cap1984
1675 W. Dugdale Baronage Eng. I. 587/1 [He] gave to that Church..his Water-stock of Silver, gilt; with the Sprinkle belonging thereto.
1802 Gaz. of U.S. (Philadelphia) 18 June Interest on the Water-Stock, unapplied for.
1884 Pall Mall Gaz. 16 Feb. 5/2 Water stocks toppled all round yesterday.
1903 Daily Chron. 24 Nov. 4/3 Water stocks fell on the decision in regard to the New River dividends.
2012 Guardian (Nexis) 13 Oct. (Money section) 4 Most green funds now have a portion of their portfolio dedicated to water stocks, while others..invest only in water.
water stoma n. Botany a stoma through which water passes; cf. water pore n.
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the world > plants > part of plant > cell or aggregate tissue > [noun] > tissue > epidermis or cuticle > stoma
spiraclea1774
stomate1835
stomatium1835
miliary gland1836
stoma1837
water pore1850
water stoma1884
mouth pore1888
1884 F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Anat. Phanerogams & Ferns 50 Other stomata..which may be called Water-stomata or -pores [Ger. Wasserspalten oder -poren].
1953 New Phytologist 52 9 These regions, hydathodes, consist of only water-stomata and their subsidiary cells.
2007 Cape Times (Nexis) 2 Oct. 7 The leaves of the arum..contain water stomata which can discharge excess water, by a process known as ‘guttation’.
† water-strapping n. [ < water n. + strapping n.1] Medicine Obsolete rare strips of bandage saturated with water; the application of such bandages.
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the world > health and disease > healing > medical appliances or equipment > equipment for treating wound or ulcer > [noun] > poultice, plaster, or compress
plasterOE
clydec1325
emplastera1382
entretea1400
pottagea1400
poulticea1400
faldellac1400
treatc1400
Gratia Dei?a1425
magdaleon?a1425
strictorya1425
grace of Godc1450
emplastrum?1541
malagma?1541
sparadrap1543
spasmadrap?a1547
plasture?1550
mustard plaster1562
cataplasm1563
oint-plaster1578
quilt1583
compress1599
compression1599
diachylum-plaster1599
pulment1599
pulvinar1599
frontlet1600
sinapism1601
epithemation1615
diapalma1646
opodeldoc1646
attraction1656
treacle plaster1659
melilot emplaster1676
stay1676
oxycroceum1696
melilot plaster1712
adhesive1753
bag1753
mustard poultice1765
soap plaster1789
water dressing1830
poor man's plaster1833
compressor1851
spongiopiline1851
vinegar-poultice1854
water-strapping1854
pitch-plaster1858
jacket poultice1862
mustard leaf1869
mustard paper1874
piline1874
plaster-mull1890
mustard cloth1897
plaster-muslin1899
antiphlogistin1901
1854 Lancet 29 July 82/2 (heading) On water-strapping as a surgical appliance, and a proposed substitute for the ordinary sticking-plaster.
1870 H. Arnott in J. Paget Syst. Surg. (ed. 2) I. 193 In the event of such complications, the tertiary syphilitic ulcers are among those for which the plan of water-strapping is best adapted.
† water-streak n. Obsolete = waterline n. 1a.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > body of vessel > side(s) of vessel > [noun] > waterline
waterlinea1625
water-streak1797
1797 S. James Narr. Voy. 38 The leak was above water streak.
1813 R. B. Hoppner tr. I. F. Kruzenshtern Voy. Round World I. x. 190 The oakum with which the seams were caulked on the waterstreak was become quite rotten.
1872 Rep. Commissioners Case H.M.S. ‘Megæra’ II. 173/2 in Parl. Papers (C. 507) XV. 1 Are you alluding to the plates near the Kingston valve, or about the water-streak?—About the water-line.
water system n. (a) a river and its tributaries, considered as a unit; (in early use also) a group of connected rivers and streams (rare); (b) Zoology = water-vascular system n. (rare).
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the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [noun]
water system1833
river system1834
1833 Penny Cycl. I. 436/2 North America possesses an extensive water-system on the Pacific slope.
1849 L. Agassiz Twelve Lect. Compar. Embryol. v. 46/1 In the Actinia, the water system is plainly developed..in the forms of minute pores arranged in vertical series.
1859 H. Kingsley Recoll. G. Hamlyn xix Having crossed the valley of the Belloury,..I had come on to the water system of another main river.
1998 Wildlife News Jan. 4/1 The report marked the end of a two-year Cherwell Otter Habitat Project which involved surveying over 270 km of water system and carrying out a variety of enhancements to create habitats for otters.
2004 P. J. Hayward Nat. Hist. Seashore iii. 106 The madreporite and its associated stone canal was thought to function to top up the water system.
water tablet n. colloquial a diuretic administered as a tablet; cf. water pill n.
ΚΠ
1974 Bhavan's Jrnl. 18 Aug. 65/1 My doctor gives water tablets and potassium to increase the urine flow.
1990 Health Shopper Jan. 3/2 Some drugs, especially diuretics (water tablets) worsen diabetes.
2002 L. Gold Good Hosp. Guide 87 ACE inhibitors,..together with water tablets, reduced the load on the heart and make the heart muscle beat more efficiently.
† water-tathe v. Scottish Obsolete transitive to flood (land) with water, in order to improve fertility by the deposition of sediment; cf. tathe v. 1.
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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > fertilizing or manuring > fertilize or manure [verb (transitive)] > flood
water-tathe1808
1808 J. Walker Econ. Hist. Hebrides I. v. 168 When a field has been water-tathed..but for one winter, the growth of grass upon it is more early.
† water-tathing n. Scottish Obsolete the action of water-tathing land; see water-tathe vb.
ΚΠ
1795 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. XV. 82 Leading a stream of water over the surface of a ley field with the plough or the spade, called water-tathing, prevailed very much formerly in this parish.
1812 W. Singer Agric. County of Dumfries 332 There is a fashion in agriculture as well as in other things: water tathing for corn was very common at one time, but is now given up.
water taxi n. a small boat which may be hired by passengers for short journeys on rivers, canals, etc.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel for transporting people or goods > passenger vessel > [noun] > water taxi
taxi boat1909
water taxi1921
river bus1929
1921 Shelbyville (Indiana) Republican 9 Sept. 7/3 Gondolas, those fascinating water taxis of Venice, are to be put into commission on the Thames.
1926 Washington Post 7 Dec. 14/7 ‘Water taxis’ are to be installed here [sc. Amsterdam] for service in the canals which wind about the city.
1974 Ld. Mancroft Chinaman in Bath xxxix. 182 The water-taxis which could do so much to ease London's traffic problems.
2013 Oldie Apr. 41/2 (advt.) We board water taxis to take us to Ca Rezzonico, regarded as one of Venice's premier museums.
water telescope n. (a) Astronomy a telescope whose tube is filled with water, used esp. to investigate aberration of light (see aberration n. 4) and the propagation of light in different media (now historical and rare); (b) an instrument used to make observations beneath the surface of water, consisting of a container or tube with a transparent bottom; = water glass n. 4.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > instrument for distant vision > [noun] > water glass
water telescope1782
water glass1804
sponge-glass1885
sea-glass1895
1782 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 72 63 DB..denotes the position of Dr. Bradley's telescope, when the aberration of the star is at its maximum, and EMO parallel to it, denotes the position of the water telescope.
1850 Edinb. New Philos. Jrnl. 49 121 We are indebted to Mr Mitchell,..for having brought this instrument into notice in the public prints, under the name of Norwegian water-telescope, on the shores of which country it is stated to be much used in fishing.
1871 Νature 8 June 103/1 The observations of γ Draconis, the star which passes very near the Zenith of Greenwich, with the Water Telescope.
1913 M. Niles Stellar Aberration Simplification Stud. 87 It [sc. the eye] is in general like a Boscovich or water-telescope, although its humors are of various refracting powers.
2011 J. S. Weis Do Fish Sleep? vii. 123 A glass-bottomed view box or ‘water telescope’ will greatly improve what you can see.
water therapy n. medical therapy employing water (cf. water treatment n. (a)); spec. physiotherapy carried out in water.
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1895 F. X. Dercum Text-bk. Nerv. Dis. II. xxx. 900 The indications for treatment are to improve the nutrition by means of change of climate, water therapy, electricity,..the administration of strychnine and massage.
1945 Amer. Jrnl. Nursing 45 772/2 Light and dry heat and water therapy [for polio patients] are illustrated.
2013 El Paso Times (Texas) (Nexis) 13 June Water therapy in general is amazing for the body... there are exercises for almost every physical problem.
water thermometer n. (a) a thermometer consisting of a graduated glass tube filled with water (rather than mercury, alcohol, etc.); (b) a thermometer used to measure the temperature of water.
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the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > measurement of temperature > [noun] > instrument > other specific instruments
air thermometer1701
water thermometer1725
gas thermometer1837
geothermometer1838
nepheloscope1844
thanatometer1860
resistance thermometer1861
reversing thermometer1878
telethermometer1880
thermocouple1890
thermo-electroscope1895
thermodynamometer1909
ebulliometer1933
1725 P. Shaw Philos. Wks. R. Boyle II. 459 (margin) A water-thermometer in vacuo.
1879 Jrnl. Soc. Arts 10 Jan. 93/1 A water thermometer would be useless for any temperature below its freezing point or above its boiling point.
1922 J. A. Crowther Pract. Physics xix. 104 To measure the mean coefficient of apparent expansion of water between different temperatures by the water thermometer.
2008 M. B. Braun & S. J. Simonson Introd. Massage Therapy (ed. 2) 477/2 You will need two containers, one for hot water and one for cold water, a water thermometer, and one large towel.
† water-thorough n. Obsolete a thorough (thorough n.1 1) made for surface draining; a water-furrow.
ΚΠ
1727 R. Bradley tr. Xenophon Sci. Good Husbandry 106 Water-thorows, or Trenches in the Ground to draw off the Water.
1766 Compl. Farmer at Lucern Then ploughing it very narrow and sharp, he made water thoroughs with the plough.
1840 Essex Standard 24 Apr. They find their wet lands..to be so difficult to drain with the common water-thoroughs, that their crops are frequently damaged.
water toast n. now rare toasted bread which is dipped briefly in boiling water before being buttered.
ΚΠ
1843 Ainsworth's Mag. 5 60 My dinner was pudding or pastry, and if these failed, there was a substitute known by the name of water-toast... A slice of bread was toasted, and dipped..in boiling water, and then buttered and sugared.
1881 H. Campbell Easiest Way Housek. & Cooking ii. 197 Make some slices of water toast..using the water in which the asparagus was boiled.
1926 Ladies' Home Jrnl. Feb. 120/1 Buttered toast, milk toast, water toast, fried toast, cinnamon toast—breakfast becomes a more interesting meal if all these different styles are served occasionally.
water toll n. (a) (the right to collect) a toll or tax paid for the use of a waterway (now somewhat rare); (also) †a duty paid on the landing of goods transported by sea (obsolete); (b) a charge or levy paid for use of a water supply (in later use chiefly U.S.); cf. water rate n. [With sense (a) compare Middle Dutch watertolne (Dutch watertol), Middle Low German watertoln, Middle High German wazzerzol (German Wasserzoll).]
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1200 in T. D. Hardy Rotuli Chartarum in Turri Londinensi (1837) I. i. 55/2 Cum stramtol & watertol, & hamsocne.
1327 ( in H. C. Maxwell-Lyte Cal. Charter Rolls (1912) IV. 63 (MED) Moniales de Wrocheshala omnia sua tenementa habeant..cum stramtol et watertol et hamsochne.
1647 R. Grosse Royalty & Loyalty i. 21 Ripaticks, or water-toles..are commonly called Customes, for the importing and transporting of commodities, by Sea.
1739 F. Blomefield Hist. Thetford xiii. 70 At the death of Henry earl of Lancaster..the Market or Fair at Santon..[was] valued with the Water-Toll there, at 18s.
1828 Morning Chron. 20 May A water-toll of 1d. on every horse, mule or ass [using the turnpike], to be collected seven months in the years.
1830 Rep. Sel. Comm. House of Lords State of Coal Trade 95 in Parl. Papers (H.C. 9) VIII. 405 Local charges [at Scarborough]... On the sea-borne coals, water toll and pier duties 8½d. per imperial chaldron.
1879 Ipswich Jrnl. 22 Nov. 4/5 Some houses have wells of their own, but a very nice proportion..pays the five per cent. water-toll.
1955 N.Y. Times 30 Sept. 52/1 Water tolls opposed... Forty national organizations..oppose..collection of tolls on freight and large pleasure craft moving on the country's inland waterways.
2000 B. M. Haddad Rivers of Gold vi. 99 PVID collected water tolls of $43 per irrigated acre to cover the cost of maintaining the infrastructure.
water toothpick n. a device for cleaning teeth by directing a jet of water at them; cf. Water Pik n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > cleaning or cleanliness of the person > [noun] > cleaning the teeth > implements for
picker1481
toothpick1488
picktooth1542
tooth-picker1545
tooth-scrape1552
pick1562
tooth-rake1585
tooth-scraper1585
teeth-brush1651
dentiscalp1656
toothbrush1690
quill toothpick1775
quill1785
chew-stick1858
tooth-stick1859
dental silk1907
dental floss1922
floss1936
airbrasive1945
Water Pik1962
water toothpick1965
1965 Arizona Republic 18 July 11- e/2 There's my little shaving-soap maker... Right next to it on my bathroom shelf is my water toothpick.
1976 National Observer (U.S.) 3 July 13/6 (advt.) Portable water toothpick for travel and the office.
2013 Korea Times (Nexis) 9 June The builder came up with a plan to install a water toothpick, which is an oral irrigator that promotes dental health, in every bathroom in the Laketown Prugio apartment complex.
water torture n. any of various kinds of torture involving the use of water; esp. torture in which the victim is either subjected to the incessant dripping of water on the head, or forced to ingest dangerous quantities of water (cf. water-rack n.); also figurative; see also Chinese water torture n. at Chinese adj. and n. Additions.
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society > authority > punishment > torture > [noun] > water-torture (drip on head)
water torture1632
water treatment1966
1632 Reply (E. India Company) 30 in tr. Remonstr. Directors Netherlands E. India Company Our people that haue tasted of this Water-torture of Amboyna, and haue heard those that suffred both there make the comparison, say, that this is more terrible & insupportable for the time, then the torture of fire.
1744 Voy. South-seas App. 29 When they found him almost dead they would let him down, making him disgorge the Water... If the Water Torture had not the Effect upon the Person they propos'd, they hoisted him up as before, and [etc.].
1826 tr. J. A. Llorente Hist. Spanish Inquisition v. i. 171 Many blood vessels also being broken when she endured the ‘water torture’, she vomited torrents of blood.
1855 F. I. Duberly Let. 2 Mar. in Mrs Duberly's War (2007) 149 It is a life of suffering that kills you by inches—like the water torture drop by drop.
1946 ‘R. West’ Train of Powder (1955) 8 Nuremberg..was also the water-torture, boredom falling drop by drop on the same spot on the soul.
2003 U.S. News & World Rep. 23 June 18/1 [She] was also subjected to water torture. She says guards force-fed her water by pushing the spout of a canister into her mouth.
water toy n. (a) a small or recreational watercraft (sometimes depreciative); (b) a toy which is played with in or on the water, or which contains or requires the use of water.
ΚΠ
1838 E. Cook Melaia 4/3 ‘'Tis a sweet cockleshell,’ cried they, ‘well formed to please a boy; With silken sails the thing will be a pretty water toy.’
1865 Intellect. Observer Aug. 10 A common aquarium..should be half filled with clear water... ‘Cloud forms’, says Mr. Campbell, ‘are copied with marvellous fidelity in this water toy.’
1871 Railway News 7 Jan. 7/2 There are screw and paddle steamers of all sizes and prices... These..will be the choice of all who prefer water-toys to land-toys.
1906 Outing Mag. Aug. 543/2 She occasionally sets going some glittering geyser of a water-toy.
1934 Pop. Mech. Mag. July 117/1 An interesting water toy for the little tots consists simply of two boatlike floats... The child grasps one of these and kicks himself along in the water.
1992 A. Nelson In Land of Men (1999) 39 They..receive water toys that make Beth snort: for the boys, pistols, and for the girls, huge circular wands that create long tubelike bubbles.
2006 Yachting Sept. 98/1 Water toys, which includes pedal boats, sail-boats and kayaks, are available.
water transport n. (a) transportation of people or goods by boat or other waterborne vessel; (also) waterborne vessels collectively; (b) the transport of substances or objects dissolved in, carried by, or swept along by water; (c) the transport of water, esp. within living organisms.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > transportation by water > [noun] > transportation of goods
fraughtc1440
freight1463
freighting1672
water transport1780
shipment1802
boatage1861
carrying1869
society > travel > travel by water > transportation by water > [noun] > passengers or livestock
water transport1780
shifting ballast1785
the world > life > biology > biological processes > movement > [noun] > diffusion through porous membrane
water transport1780
endosmose1829
endosmosis1836
osmosis1863
1780 J. Burgoyne State Exped. from Canada 10 Gun-boats might be requisite for the security of water transport, on some parts of the Hudson's River.
1833 Fraser's Mag. Nov. 581/1 Water-transport of all kinds has grown more commodious.
1841 J. R. Jackson What to Observe ii. §1. 120 These differences depend on a variety of circumstances, but principally upon the accumulation [of debris] being formed by dry crumbling from above, or by water transport.
1873 Sugar Cane 5 286 It is an essential in the internal economy of the plant, where all the traffic is carried on by water transport.
1924 Mariner's Mirror 10 131 The physical features of the region, rivers among dense forests, render water transport the only means of communication.
1958 W. S. Cooper Coastal Sand Dunes Oregon & Washington 21 Between any adjoining pair of obstacles there should, therefore, be a seasonal shifting of sand in water transport, back and forth.
1974 Nature 31 May 495/3 Transcapillary and transepithelial water transport.
1981 Antiquaries Jrnl. 61 i. 129 A general survey of early types of water transport, discusses log rafts, boats of reed, bark and skin, also dug-outs and the evolution of the plank-built boat.
2006 Science 19 May 1034/1 Water transport through molecular-scale hydrophobic channels is also important because of the similarity of this system to transmembrane protein pores such as aquaporins.
water treader n. †(a) poetic a ship (obsolete); (b) a person who treads water (see tread v. 7).
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > [noun]
shipc725
beamOE
boardOE
bargea1300
steera1300
vessela1300
treea1382
loomc1400
man1473
ark1477
bottom1490
keela1547
riverboat1565
craft1578
pine1592
class1596
flood-bickerer1599
pitchboard1599
stern-bearer1599
wooden horse1599
wooden isle1603
water treader?1615
water house1616
watercraft1618
machine1637
prore1642
lightman1666
embarkation1690
bark1756
prowa1771
Mudian1813
bastiment1823
hooker1823
nymph1876
M.F.V.1948
the world > movement > progressive motion > moving with current of air or water > movement in or on water > [noun] > swimming > stroke > specific > swimmer of specific stroke
water treader1855
breaststroker1870
trudgen swimmer1893
trudger1902
crawler1912
?1615 G. Chapman tr. Homer Odysses (new ed.) xiv. 477 When the water-treader [Gk. ποντοπόρος νηῦς], farre away Had left the Land.
1855 Gentleman's Mag. June 582 Mr. Buckingham, the once renowned boy water-treader of Flushing.
1906 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 6 Nov. 5/4 An expert water treader can keep his head out of water while using his right arm to grasp a line.
2010 Washington Post (Nexis) 10 Jan. f1 The same cushions dot the edges of the two pools, inviting conversations between the margarita sippers and the water treaders.
water treatment n. (a) medical treatment employing water (administered internally or externally); an instance of this; cf. water cure n. 1; (b) = water torture n.; also figurative; cf. water cure n. 2.With Chinese water treatment in quot. 1991 cf. Chinese water torture n. at Chinese adj. and n. Additions.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatments using water > [noun]
water treatment1832
water cure1834
water curing1842
hydropathy1843
hydrotherapy1876
hydriatry1886
society > authority > punishment > torture > [noun] > water-torture (drip on head)
water torture1632
water treatment1966
1832 Edinb. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 38 463 That in all cases the progress towards death is retarded by the water treatment.
1862 M. D. Colt Went to Kansas xii. 197 The homeopathic physician was called to see her yesterday, so she is under his treatment, while I have the privilege of giving her all the water treatment I choose.
1966 ‘G. Black’ You want to die, Johnny? x. 180 That character who had apologised to himself for using the water treatment on Lee Wat.
1991 J. DeMont Citizens Irving (1992) vi. 107 If the senator makes the statement often enough, like the relentless drip-drip of the Chinese water treatment, then some people are going to believe him.
1992 Country Homes & Interiors Apr. 7/1 Even those who quaff bottled mineral water in preference to the much scorned tap variety might draw the line at colonic irrigation, a water treatment said to be favoured by certain racy Royals.
water trompe n. now chiefly historical a piece of apparatus for producing a blast of air from the pressure generated by water falling down a pipe; = trompe n.2
ΚΠ
1869 Jrnl. Franklin Inst. 87 192 Perhaps the water tromp for obtaining a blast by the fall of water or the atomizer may be made available.
1915 J. P. Arthur Hist. Watauga County, N. Carolina xvi. 265 Here they put in a regular forge with all the equipment used in that day, including the water trompe, furnace, goose-nest, hammer, etc.
1994 R. Morgan Hinterlands i. 20 Daddy had set up a water trompe to blow air into the forge, and you could hear water pouring down the shaft from the trough.
water tube n. (a) a pipe that contains or conveys water, esp. any of those carrying water through a water-tube boiler; (b) Zoology (in invertebrates) a tubular structure that conveys water, such as a water vessel in an echinoderm or a vertical channel in the gill filament of a bivalve mollusc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > bodies or parts > [noun] > excretory organ or system
water tube1720
nephridium1877
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > boiler > [noun] > parts of > tubes or pipes
water tube1720
tube1833
water head1856
worm1857
cross-tubea1884
furnace-tube1888
feed collector1902
1720 J. T. Desaguliers tr. W. J. 's Gravesande Math. Elements Nat. Philos. I. ii. i. i. 144 Excepting the Hole to which the Tube is fix'd, and whose Height is the Height of the Water Tube [L. tubo] above the inward Surface of the Cover.
1834 R. E. Grant in Lancet 17 May 264/2 The ambulacra have numerous perforations for feet..for the passage of water-tubes to distend and project the tubular feet of the echinus.
a1877 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. III. 2646/2 When the fire passes through the tubes, they are properly flues. The term is, however, applied to pipes, whether water-tubes or fire-tubes, below a certain diameter.
1960 D. C. Braungart & R. Buddeke Introd. Animal Biol. (ed. 5) xiii. 207 Among the gill-filaments are numerous minute openings or ostia, which lead from the pallial chamber into the vertical water tubes of the gill plates.
2004 Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News 13 Sept. 10/2 Floating headers make the boilers' small size and water capacity possible, without creating thermal shock to the boilers' water tubes and enclosure.
water-tube boiler n. Engineering a boiler in which water circulates through a large number of closely-spaced tubes surrounded by hot gases.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > boiler > [noun] > types of
steam-boiler1805
boiler1818
generator1823
wagon-boiler1837
Cornish boiler1840
saddle boiler1840
French boiler1844
vomiting-boiler1844
water-tube boiler1850
feed-heater1864
Scotch boiler1877
cross-tubea1884
steamer1891
flash generator1903
flash steam generator1907
waste-heat boiler1930
1850 R. Armstrong Rudimentary Treat. Steam Boilers v. 109 If very high pressure is ever to be justified in steam navigation at all, it would be better to return to Oliver Evans' and Woolf's systems of small water-tube boilers.
1949 A. C. Walshaw Heat Engines (ed. 3) ix. 190 The layer of stagnant and comparatively cold gas can, however, be removed in water-tube boilers by baffling.
2013 P. Fortune in J. M. Haight Handbk. Loss Prevention Engin. I. x. 239 The water tube boiler has largely replaced the fire tube in most high-flow/high-pressure applications.
water tunnel n. a tunnel through which water is carried (for practical or experimental purposes).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > mechanics > dynamics > fluid dynamics > [noun] > devices for producing specific effects
water tunnel1799
pulser1954
fluid amplifier1960
1799 W. Wennington tr. A. H. J. Lafontaine Man of Nature xxix. 387 I planted trees; I conducted the water-tunnels [Ger. leitete Wasser] over my rice field.
1868 Boston Investigator 21 Oct. 6/7 It took two years and a half to build the Chicago water tunnel.
1930 E. N. Jacobs & I. H. Abbott (title) Experiments with a model water tunnel.
2003 New Yorker 1 Sept. 103/3 I started in 2002, over on the third water tunnel in Queens.
2012 Jrnl. Fluids & Struct. 28 155 Experiments were conducted in a flow visualization water tunnel in the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory.
water turbine n. Engineering a turbine in which water is the moving fluid; = turbine n. a.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > turbine > [noun] > other turbines
water turbine1859
impulse turbine1880
wind turbine1909
impulse-reaction turbine1929
pump-turbine1934
1859 W. J. M. Rankine Man. Steam Engine iii. v. 538 The Fan Steam Engine, invented by Mr. William Gorman, is analogous in its principle and mode of action to an inward flow water turbine.
1961 M. G. Say Electr. Engineer's Ref. Bk. (ed. 10) ii. 79 The only practicable scheme for large-scale storage at present is the pumping of water to a suitable reservoir when excess energy is available and subsequently using it to drive a water turbine when required.
2007 N. Rosen How to live Off-grid iv. 129 A few hundred feet away, carefully screened with wire mesh to allow the trout to leap upriver, a third mini water turbine powers the garden lights.
water twig n. rare a side shoot growing from a latent bud in the trunk or a main branch of a tree; = watershoot n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > part of tree or woody plant > [noun] > bough or branch > lower branch or sucker growing from root
water-boughOE
under-bough?1523
watershoot1585
water twig1601
wash bough1612
under-twiga1774
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. xvii. xiii. 515 All trees will thrive and prosper better..if the shoots and suckers that put out at the root, as also other water twigs, be rid away [Fr. qu'on coppe les iettons & surgeons qui y viennent].
1904 Natal Agric. Jrnl. & Mining Rec. Oct. 924 On no account should suckers or water twigs be used, as from these the trees never become prolific bearers.
water twist n. now historical cotton yarn spun on a water frame or throstle; frequently attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > thread or yarn > [noun] > cotton > other
water twist1793
Lisle thread1851
Japanese gold thread1880
candle-wick1930
1793 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. VII. 88 Mills which produce the water-twist are kept going day and night.
1836 A. Ure Cotton Manuf. Great Brit. II. 122 In the water twist spinning-frame used by Arkwright, each head had only four or six spindles.
1911 R. S. Holland Hist. Inventions v. 90 The fine water-twist that was being spun on his spinning-frames was perfectly adapted to be used as warp.
water vapour n. (originally) water droplets suspended in air, esp. in the form of mist or steam (now rare); (in later use) water in its (invisible) gaseous phase.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > gas > [noun] > fumes or vapour > water in the form of > present in the atmosphere
water vapoura1475
a1475 in Neuphilol. Mitteilungen (1957) 58 64 (MED) Þe son, by his operacion and accion,..takethe and pullethe up water-vapours.
1778 London Evening-Post 3 Feb. To prepare and apply medicinal water vapour and dry baths.
1880 A. Geikie Elem. Lessons Physical Geogr. (new ed.) ii. 44 By the term water-vapour, or aqueous-vapour, is meant the invisible steam always present in the air.
1908 Westm. Gaz. 31 Jan. 2/1 The latest statement by Sir William Huggins on the existence of water-vapour on Mars is that there is no conclusive proof.
2003 Focus July 38/3 In our Solar System, only the Earth has a large quantity of water vapour in its atmosphere.
water-vascular adj. Zoology belonging or relating to a water-vascular system, esp. that of echinoderms.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > bodies or parts > [adjective] > relating to water vessels
water-vascular1851
1851 Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist 8 4 In the Asteridæ the ambulacral plates develope internal processes which unite above, or internal to, the water-vascular canals and nerves.
1946 H. Woods Palæontol. Invertebr. (ed. 8) 119 There is a central mouth inside the water-vascular ring, and a disc of varying extent around the mouth.
2003 D. I. Williamson Origins Larvae (new ed.) 99 In both species there is a ring of tube-feet, served by a double ring of water vascular canals.
water-vascular system n. [ < water n. + vascular adj. + system n., after German Wassergefäßsystem (1850 or earlier); compare water vessel n. (c)] Zoology (in various invertebrates) a system of water vessels; spec. that of echinoderms, which is involved mainly in moving the tube feet.
ΚΠ
1851 Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 8 3 The blood-vascular system is everywhere totally unconnected with the water-vascular system.
1877 T. H. Huxley Man. Anat. Invertebrated Animals i. 62 Uropoietic organs..are probably represented by the water-vascular system and segmental organs of the worms.
1960 D. C. Braungart & R. Buddeke Introd. Animal Biol. (ed. 5) viii. 103 Water enters a system of tubes or vessels forming the water-vascular system, a system of organs found only in animals belonging to the Echinodermata.
2000 C. Tudge Variety of Life ii. xii. 333 They clearly did have a water vascular system (which goes along with ambulacral grooves) probably with a madrepore that opened near the mouth.
water vessel n. (a) a container used to hold water; (b) a boat, ship, or other watercraft; (c) Zoology (in an invertebrate) any vessel or canal carrying water; esp. a vessel of the water-vascular system of an echinoderm. [ < water n. + vessel n.1; in sense (c) after German Wassergefäß (1850 or earlier in this sense); itself after Blutgefäß blood vessel (see blood vessel n.).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > bodies or parts > [noun] > vessel in which water circulates
water vessela1382
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1963) 3 Kings vii. 38 Oon water vessel [L. luter] heeld fourti mesuris of þre quartis.
1607 J. Cowell Interpreter sig. Yy2/2 The boates or water vessels that lye there.
1792 W. Bligh Voy. to South Sea 206 I..filled all our water vessels, which amounted to nearly 60 gallons.
1853 T. Williams Mechanism Aquatic Respiration 19 The blood-vessels are internally and externally lined with cilia, the water-vessels are so, and the visceral cavity is richly so.
1946 H. Woods Palæontol. Invertebr. (ed. 8) 120 In each of these grooves one of the five radial water vessels..is placed and from it arise the tubular offshoots known as the tube-feet.
1993 E. N. K. Clarkson Invertebr. Palaeontol. & Evol. (ed. 3) ix. 257/1 Here it joins the circum-oral ring, from which five radial water vessels extend, one running up the centre of each ambulacrum.
2000 C. Hanger World Food: Morocco 77 The pretty, chased copper water vessels are not sterilised between patrons, no matter what you are told.
2010 Los Angeles Times 3 June d6 She strings assorted kayaks, rowboats, canoes and other small water vessels to each other.
water walk n. a path situated beside or affording views of water.
ΚΠ
1626 J. Kennedy Hist. Calanthrop & Lucilla sig. E7 He runnes (quoth she) the water-walke 'gainst me.
1789 London Chron. 4 July 18/2 The venerable oak which stood at the entrance into the water-walk.
1887 Builder 26 Nov. 726/1 The pleasure-garden and Bas Court have each the separate moat, and the avenues and water-walks are remarkably extensive.
1994 R. Sale Seeing Seattle xv. 204 On most of Seattle's water walks, especially on Green Lake and Seward Park, people around you are Getting Exercise.
† water-wane n. [ < water n. + wane n.1] Obsolete (in form watir wan) lack of water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > dryness > [noun] > lack of water
water-wanea1400
waterlessness1873
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 6389 Þar þai had mekil watir wan.
† water-want adj. Obsolete that can endure shortage of water.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > thirst > [adjective] > able to endure lack of water
water-want1605
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. ii. ii. 401 The Camell water-want [Fr. souffre-soif].
water war n. a war or other conflict fought over the ownership or use of water supplies.
ΚΠ
1835 London Rev. Apr. 155 The water-war with Brazil was a serious evil, not so much by checking commerce, as by fostering a spirit of piracy and wholesale immorality.
1911 Ann. Publ. Hist. Soc. S. Calif. 8 151 In the olden days of Mexican domination the waters of the rivers had been granted to the abutting ranchos... Water wars were not uncommon.
1976 Newsweek (Nexis) 16 Aug. 15 Jordan's King Hussein is moving to renew the ‘water war’ with Israel by reviving a long-standing plan to divert more of the Yarmuk River into the East Ghor irrigation canal.
2007 R. Solnit Storming Gates of Paradise (2008) iii. 131 The water war between Los Angeles and the Owens Valley, immortalized in Roman Polanski's movie Chinatown.
water-watcher n. British (now rare) a water bailiff.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > law enforcement > law-enforcement or peace-officer > [noun] > river-policeman
water-watcher1846
water bailiff1847
water bailie1886
1846 Era 22 Nov. 7/1 Some of the ‘water-watchers’ [were] active and ‘clever birds’..while other bore the character of no more ability than ‘an old mawkin in a trap’.
1862 Birmingham Daily Post 18 Jan. 3/7 Edward Atkinson and Robert Bowman, water-watchers for the Carlisle Angling Association, repaired to Brocklewath on the Eden on Tuesday night.
1920 E. Phillpotts Orphan Dinah iii. 22 A water-watcher ought to have a temper, so as the doubtful characters shall know he's not to be trifled with.
1976 Irish Times 9 Sept. 8/8 To intercept these vans that are known to many, and suspected by water watchers, as they come to the points of illicit salmon sales.
water weight n. the weight of water retained in the body, esp. in excess of physiological needs; the proportion of body weight consisting of or attributed to this.
ΚΠ
1943 G. F. Alsop & M. F. McBride Arms & Girl v. 78 It is possible by drinking to alter the weight of the body that stands on the scales, but such weight is merely water weight and does not represent a gain in actual flesh and blood.
1978 Globe & Mail (Canada) (Nexis) 8 Sept. Many thin women respond to the birth control pill only by picking up a little water weight, easily got rid of with a diuretic.
2006 D. Noble & C. Colman Body Noble xii. 157 Although you can lose a lot of weight fairly quickly on a restrictive diet, much of what is lost is water weight, not the excess fat that you want to lose.
water-wet n. Agriculture (now historical) dampness of a hay crop caused by rain or dew.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > moisture or humidity > [noun] > on herbage, from rain
snivel1693
water-wet1775
1775 W. Marshall Minutes Agric. 23 Nov. (1778) If possible, mix it perfectly full of sap, but perfectly free from water-wet.
1869 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. Eng. 5 11 It requires much practical experience, and much patient discretion, to put together a large mass of hay, from which first all water-wet, namely, that which it receives as rain or dew, must be evaporated to prevent mould and dust.
1951 R. Wightman Watching Certain Things iv. 56 They drew a sharp distinction between what they called ‘sap-wet’ and ‘water-wet’.
water whim n. [ < water n. + whim n.1 (compare whim n.1 4)] English regional (Cornwall) Mining (now historical) a type of hoist in which the descent of a container of water attached to a rope passing over a drum causes the drum to turn and to raise a container at the other end of the rope; also called water whimsey.
ΚΠ
1758 W. Borlase Nat. Hist. Cornwall xv. 168 The section of the pool-mine... G, Water-Whim shaft.
1839 H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornwall xv. 572 Water-whims..are seldom employed in western Cornwall.
1985 J. Moss Sound Trumpets ii. 25 Other work at the mine continued: ore carriers carted ore, timber teams brought their loads, and the water whims cleared the mine workings.
water whimsey n. [ < water n. + whimsy n. (compare whimsy n. 6a)] Mining (now historical) = water whim n.
ΚΠ
1807 T. Young Course Lect. Nat. Philos. I. xviii. 205 Sometimes the weight of a reservoir or bucket of water is employed for raising another bucket... This machine is called a water whimsey.
1963 Archæologia Cambrensis 114 101 Proceeding west around the end of the Great Opencast, notice the South Engine or Water Whimsey Shaft, its collar now perilously situated on the edge of the cliff.
2000 R. B. Schofield Benjamin Outram xi. 194 Joseph Junior wrote to the company about the time of the submission for permission to cut a channel from the pound above the fifth lock to feed a ‘Water Whimsey’ (the hoist and water-balance system) for lifting coals.
water-wit n. †(a) (perhaps) a person with only water for wits; a stupid person (obsolete); (b) rough wit of the type associated with the watermen of London; cf. water language n. (now historical and rare).Sense (a) apparently represents an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > [noun] > particular kinds of wit
bavin wits1598
Attic salt1633
water-wit1658
Latin-wit1670
sheer wit1672
sea-wit1695
razor wit1786
1658 tr. S. de Cyrano de Bergerac Satyrical Characters xxiv. 87 This water-wit [Fr. cet esprit aquatique] murmurs continually, like the fountains, yet no body understands what he saies.
1730 Daily Post 24 June Water-Wit; Water-Language.
1767 ‘Coriat Junior’ Another Traveller! I. 102 That vile ribaldry called water-wit.
1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home II. 143 The old, rough, water-wit for which the Thames used to be so celebrated.
1978 Maledicta Summer 14 What used to be called ‘water-wit’, because it was most safely engaged in by passengers on riverboats.
waterwoman n. a woman associated or having to do with water (in various ways); esp. a woman working on a boat or among boats (cf. waterman n. 1b).
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > boatman or waterman > woman
waterwoman1636
boatwoman1707
1636 R. Basset tr. G. A. de Paoli Lives Rom. Emperors 363 In his [sc. Rupertus'] Reigne a Water-woman or Mermaid was taken in the Lake of Putmer, by those of Embden.
1665 A. Griffin Astrol. Judgem. Theft 27 The Moon [signifies] the Mother, Sister or Nurse, or otherwise some Tankerd-bearer, or a Water-woman, a Chair-woman or the like.
1711 J. Gale Refl. Wall's Hist. Infant-baptism 120 Which makes the Poet..charge the Water-Women here not to dip their Pitchers in the River on that day.
1762 O. Goldsmith in Brit. Mag. Jan. 34/2 The water-women of Plymouth.
1841 E. C. Bridgman Chinese Chrestomathy viii. 320 The term tán ká, literally egg families, is derived from the shape of the boats in which these watermen and waterwomen live.
1901 Artist July 105/2 Stolid Dutch peasants in a boat, which a stalwart waterwoman punts along the placid surface of a canal.
2013 Maryland loves Crabs 28/2 Our waterman friend John Van Alstine suggested we contact one of the very few female waterwomen actively working on the Bay.
† water-wood n. Obsolete standing timber growing near water.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > wood > [noun] > wood growing in specific place
spring wood?1523
water-wood1600
bottom timber1834
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique vii. xv. 824 The other sort of water woode [Fr. bois aquatique] is the willow.
1744 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Apr. xiv. 139 An Alder, a Withy, a Willow, or other Water-wood Hedge.
water-wrack n. now rare debris left by a flood, the tide, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > refuse or rubbish > [noun] > cast up by sea or flood
wrack1428
water-wrack1605
rack1655
ejectments1658
wrack-goods1671
rejectamenta1791
rejection1838
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. ii. i. 284 When pale Phlegme, or Saffron-coloured Choler,..print vpon our Vnderstandings Tables, That, water-wracks [Fr. vn rauage ondeux]; this other, flame-full fables.
1658 in C. S. Romanes Sel. Rec. Regality of Melrose (1914) I. 174 Quhen tymber treis or onie uther fewall or watter wrak cumes doune the river and lands there.
1834 T. Pringle Afr. Sketches ii. 151 The remains of water-wrack..afforded striking proof that at certain seasons this diminutive rill becomes a mighty..flood.
1888 J. A. Harrison Autrefois 256 The felucca approached what looked like the abandoned water-wrack of centuries.
2007 D. J. Murray Confusion Matrix 122 A knight: the concept is dead, Like a wreath of water-wrack On a golden grave.
C8.
a. Designating animals, birds, and insects that live in, on, or near water; forming names of such animals.More established compounds of this type are treated separately.
ΚΠ
eOE Bald's Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) i. iv. 44 Genim wæterhæfern gebærnedne & þonne gegniden smale & wiþ hunig gemenged & on gedon.
c1350 Nominale (Cambr. Ee.4.20) in Trans. Philol. Soc. (1906) 24* Freseie et pynceuole, Nytcrowe and watirfynch.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 372 Otur, watyr beest, lutricius.
1655 T. Moffett & C. Bennet Healths Improvem. xii. 109 Water-rails..feed upon water-snails and water-flies.
1717 T. Parnell tr. Homer's Battle Frogs & Mice i. 110 Lo! from the deep a Water-Hydra rose.
1866 Hardwicke's Sci.-gossip May 109/2 I never remember experiencing greater delight than I did in watching the ‘water-maggots’ adapting substances so novel to their own requirements.
1976 Washington Post 21 Mar. k6/3 There are..tiny turtles, tiny water critters, tiny lizards.
2007 Parramatta (Austral.) Advertiser (Nexis) 15 Aug. 16 Now the cormorants have nowhere to perch or the water coots to nest.
b.
water animal n.
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the world > animals > by habitat > [noun] > aquatic animal
fishc825
aquatic?c1600
water animal1603
aquatile1638
water breather1832
rheophile1939
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 707 You sir, (quoth hee) who are (as one would say) a water-animall [Gk. ἀμϕίαλον..ζῷον], bred and fed within so many seas.
1691 J. Ray Wisdom of God 54 Fishes and other Water-Animals cannot abide without the use of it [sc. Air].
1752 Philos. Trans. 1749–50 (Royal Soc.) 46 401 Their Eggs sink directly to the Bottom, and lodge amongst the Mud and Gravel, and may be Food for some minute Water Animal.
1883 Amer. Naturalist 17 724 The Amphibia..pass their first life stage as gilled water animals.
1975 New Yorker 5 May 90/2 The improvement is such that small water animals called marine borers..are beginning to thrive and to bore away at the city's piers.
2005 C. Adams Everglades 12 Estuaries..provide an ideal environment for many kinds of land and water animals.
waterbird n.
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the world > animals > birds > defined by habitat > [noun] > aquatic or swimming bird
waterfowla1382
swimmer1399
waterbird1440
naff1553
mudsucker1678
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 127 Doppar, or dydoppar, watyr byrde, mergulus.
?1527 L. Andrewe tr. Noble Lyfe Bestes sig. oiv/1 Morfex is a great water birde and it hath a gret bill chagged lyke a sawe.
1646 E. Leigh Treat. Divinity iii. vi. 78 They have great variety of kindes, some wilde, some tame, some great, some little, some Sea or water birds, some land birds.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Himantopus..the name of a water bird, very remarkable for the length and slenderness of its legs.
1803 J. Leyden Scenes of Infancy ii. xxii The water-birds..Oft rouse the peasant from his tranquil dream.
1917 Blackwood's Mag. Nov. 645/2 Large water-birds rose from the river.
2004 Bird Watch Canada Winter 3/2 The possibility of petroleum exploration off BC's coast could severely impact coastal waterbirds, including the Tufted Puffin.
water insect n.
ΚΠ
1657 N. Culpeper & W. Rowland tr. J. Johnstone Idea Pract. Physick iii. 9/2 Or Water-Insects [L. Insecta..Aquatica], as the Horse-Leech, Hippocampe, Sea-star, &c.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VI. 166 Whether it be that they [sc. gold and silver fish] feed on the water-insects, too minute for our observation, or [etc.].
1818 Compend. Zool. (new ed.) iii. 243 They feed on river flies, and other water insects.
1927 F. Balfour-Browne Insects iii. 75 Those water insects which require atmospheric air are termed ‘false aquatics’.
2006 Proc. Royal Soc. B. 273 1667 The horizontal surfaces of red and black cars are highly attractive to red-blind polarotactic water insects.
water reptile n.
ΚΠ
1697 Philos. Trans. 1695–7 (Royal Soc.) 19 409 Nature has carefully supplyed some imperfect Animals, such as the Leech, a Water Reptile as this, with large and conspicuous Organs for Nutrition.
1781 W. Falconer Remarks on Infl. Climate iii. v. 202 The Ibis..being of such service in clearing the country of the water reptiles, left by the inundations of the Nile.
1825 W. Scott Betrothed vii, in Tales Crusaders II. 150 Watching for such small fish or water-reptiles as might chance to pass by its lonely stance.
1927 Pop. Mech. Oct. 611/2 Water reptiles, sea serpents, water snakes six and seven feet long, were collected on the reef off Poeloeticus.
2011 D. Schach Loch Ness Monster 19 The most popular theory is that the monster is a plesiosaur. This giant water reptile is believed to be extinct.
c.
water adder n. any water snake thought to resemble an adder; esp. any colubrid water snake of the Old World genus Natrix or the New World genus Nerodia. [Compare Old High German wazzarnātara (Middle High German wazzernāter, German †Wassernatter), and also Dutch wateradder (16th cent., now only with reference to North American water snakes).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > [noun] > member of (snake) > aquatic
water addereOE
rinatrixa1398
water snake1527
water serpent1530
sea-adder1601
hydra1608
sea-serpent1672
water viper1737
sea-snake1827
eOE Cleopatra Gloss. in J. J. Quinn Minor Lat.-Old Eng. Glossaries in MS Cotton Cleopatra A.III (Ph.D. diss., Stanford Univ.) (1956) 216 Ydris, wæternedrum.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. ix. 1127 Somme beþ water addres and wonyeþ in brymmes of watres, as þe serpent arendir þat is a water addre [L. serpens aquatilis].
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest iii. f. 69 Plinie saith..that the fat or brawne of the Adder, especially the water Adder, remedieth the stinging and byting of the Crocodile.
1651 L. Sowerby Ladies Dispensatory 254 (heading) Against the bitings of a water Adder.
1854 H. D. Thoreau Jrnl. 10 May (2002) VIII. 111 When I turned over the male had a glimpse of a reddish or orange belly.—Were they water adders or black snakes?
2004 J. W. Gibbons & M. E. Dorcas N. Amer. Watersnakes ii. 182/2 The following names have been used to refer to the various subspecies of Nerodia sipedon: banded water snake, black (water) snake, black water adder, [etc.].
water antelope n. any of several African antelopes that live in marshy places; esp. the waterbuck, Kobus ellipsiprymnus, and the sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > antelope > [noun] > subfamily Reduncinae > genus Kobus > kobus ellipsiprymnus (water-buck)
waterbok1835
waterbuck1838
water antelope1844
sing-sing1854
Uganda kob1896
Nile lechwe1937
1844 Illustr. London News 10 Aug. 90/3 Among the animals are eight antelopes, four of which..are denominated water antelopes, a very rare and beautiful species.
1875 W. H. Drummond Large Game & Nat. Hist. S. & S.-E. Afr. 367 The water-antelope (Kobus ellipsiprymnus).
1935 Jrnl. Ecol. 23 425 Few mammals reside in the swamp. The most abundant are the water-antelope or sitatunga (Limnotragus Spekei), and the clawed otter (Lutra maculicollis).
2004 Irish Times Mag. (Nexis) 20 Nov. 40 In the Okavango Delta, you can take to the water in a dug-out canoe, gliding low through the water lilies and sending water antelopes scattering.
water-ask n. [ < water n. + ask n.2; compare earlier water-eft n. and water newt n.] Irish English, Scottish, and English regional (northern) (now rare) a newt, esp. the smooth newt, Lissotriton vulgaris..
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Urodela or Caudata > [noun] > family Salamandridae (newts) > newt
askeOE
newta1425
askerc1450
swift1530
eft1584
water-ask1772
1772 J. Rutty Ess. Nat. Hist. Dublin I. 278 Lacertus. The Eft, or Newt or Ask. Of this we have two Sorts, 1... The Land Ask, sometimes here called Man-keeper... 2... The Water Ask or Arglogher.
1820 Marmaiden of Clyde xviii, in Edinb. Mag. & Literary Misc. 6 423 The water-asks, sae cauld and saft, Crawl'd ower the glittie flure.
1892 J. Barlow Irish Idylls v. 114 She's not the fool, anyway, to be dhrinkin' out o' wather-pools thick wid them black wather-asks, that 'ud lep down your throath as soon as look at you.
1963 H. Orton & W. J. Halliday Surv. Eng. Dial. I. ii. 434 Q[uestion]. What do you call that small four-legged, long-tailed creature, blackish on top; it darts about in ponds?.. [Cumberland, Westmorland] Water-ask.
water bat n. [ < water n. + bat n.1; in quot. 1681 (sense (a)) apparently after post-classical Latin vespertilio aquaticus (1647 in the source referred to)] †(a) a fish of the family Ogcocephalidae, having a flattened body and pectoral fins which are used for walking on the sea floor; = batfish n. 3 (obsolete); (b) Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii, which hunts low over water.
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the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > superorder Paracanthopterygii > order Lophiiformes (anglers) > [noun] > member of family Ogcocephalidae (sea-bat)
water bat1681
sea-bat1756
nose-fish1828
sea-unicorna1832
batfish1861
1681 N. Grew Musæum Regalis Societatis i. §iv. i. 54 Barlæus mentions a Water-Bat, which the Natives of Brasile call Guacucua.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VI. 285 The Hippocampus, with an head somewhat like that of an horse, and the Water Bat, whose head can scarcely be distinguished from the body.
1893 R. Lydekker Royal Nat. Hist. I. x. 285 Daubenton's bat..is found in England, Scotland, and Ireland... It is sometimes termed the water-bat.
1998 Guardian 10 July i. 20/3 Daubentons are also known as water bats due to their feeding technique; they resemble tiny hovercraft foraging for insects.
water beetle n. †(a) a backswimmer or greater water boatman (genus Notonecta) (obsolete rare); (b) any beetle that lives in water for at least part of its life cycle; esp. any of the aquatic members of the superfamilies Caraboidea and Hydrophiloidea.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > order Coleoptera or beetles and weevils > [noun] > Adephaga (carnivorous beetles) > Hydradephaga (aquatic) > member of (water-beetle)
water beetle1658
riffle beetle1916
1658 Sir T. Browne Garden of Cyrus iii, in Hydriotaphia: Urne-buriall 143 And the like is observable in the belly of the Notonecton, or water-Beetle, which swimmeth on its back.
1668 W. Charleton Onomasticon Zoicon 46 Hydrocantharus, the Water-beetle.
1721 R. Bradley Philos. Acct. Wks. Nature 147 Water Beetles of several kinds, Boat-Flies, a Monoculus, and Cramp Spider.
1826 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. IV. xlv. 254 The common water-beetle (Dytiscus marginalis).
1941 R. Headstrom Adventures with Microscope (1977) li. 194 The water beetle known as Hydrophilus..can be found in almost any body of fresh water.
2002 Fly Fisherman Feb. 35/2 There are water beetles.., mayflies, and small scuds in Pyramid [Lake].
water blackbird n. the European dipper, Cinclus cinclus, which is dark with a white throat. [ < water n. + blackbird n., after post-classical Latin merula aquatica (1585 in Gesner, or earlier); compare earlier water ouzel n. and slightly earlier water crake n. (both cited as vernacular names in the source translated in quot. 1678).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus aquaticus (dipper)
dippera1425
water ouzel1622
waterthrush1668
water crake1676
water blackbird1678
piet1804
water crow1804
water-piet1804
water cock1806
ducker1837
dipper-bird1894
1678 J. Ray tr. F. Willughby Ornithol. ii. xv. 235 It is as big, or a little bigger than a Water-Blackbird, or Crake.
1838 New Monthly Mag. May 40 If we are to believe some authors, the Water-Ouzel, Water Blackbird, or Dipper..deliberately descends into the water, and walks about on the bottom of the stream.
2010 J. Lewis-Stempel Wild Life (new ed.) 228 The dipper has many local names which hint at its colour and size, such as water ouzel and water blackbird, but none truly captures the bird's appearance.
water boa n. †(a) the common tree boa, Corallus hortulanus, of tropical America (obsolete rare); (b) the anaconda, Eunectes murinus. [ < water n. + boa n.; in quot. 1802 (sense (a)) after scientific Latin Boa enydris ( Linnaeus Systema Naturae (ed. 10, 1758) 215); compare classical Latin enhydris, a kind of snake living in water (Pliny).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Boidae (boas) > member of genus Eunectes
anaconda1768
water boa1802
1802 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. III. 345 Water Boa. Boa Enydris.
1863 H. W. Bates Naturalist on River Amazons I. iii. 100 The hideous Sucurujù, or Water Boa (Eunectes murinus), which sometimes attacks man.
1923 Geogr. Rev. 13 209 The Indians talked of snakes, particularly the water boa which haunts the rivers further east.
2004 Observer Mag. (Nexis) 17 Oct. 77 Marven trudges through the wetlands of Venezuela and Brazil in search of the ‘water boa’.
water boatman n. any of various heteropteran water bugs with long, oarlike hind legs, belonging either to the herbivorous family Corixidae (more fully lesser water boatman), or to the predatory family Notonectidae (more fully greater water boatman; also called backswimmer).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > family Notonectidae > member of
Notonecta1658
boatfly1681
water boatman1815
boatman1841
back-swimmer1862
notonectid1908
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > family Corixidae > member of
water boatman1815
1815 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. I. iv. 111 The water boatman, (Notonecta glauca, L.,)..which always swims upon its back, made me suffer still more severely..by the insertion of its rostrum.
1917 Science 6 Apr. 336/2 Among the bugs that live in the water, none are more common than the back-swimmers, or Notonectids, and the water boatmen, or Corixids.
1953 H. Mellanby Animal Life in Fresh Water (ed. 5) viii. 146 Family Corixidae. The Lesser Waterboatmen. This family is represented by five genera, in Britain.
2013 H. F. Van Emden Handbk. Agric. Entomol. vii. 68 The Notonectidae (greater water boatmen) swim upside down and often spend much time hanging under the water surface.
water buffalo n. (a) either of two Asian buffaloes of the genus Bubalus that frequently wallow in water or mud, the domesticated B. bubalis, used esp. as a beast of burden and for tilling rice fields, and its probable ancestor, the wild buffalo B. arnee of South-East Asia (now endangered); (b) the African buffalo, Syncerus caffer (rare).Water buffaloes were domesticated in India and China 4-5,000 years ago and are now found worldwide.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > subfamily Bovinae (bovine) > [noun] > Bubalus bubalis (water buffalo)
buffle?c1510
buffalo1588
water-ox1615
ante1625
buffa1710
water buffalo1827
1827 C. E. H. Orpen Contrast Atheism Paganism & Christianity 172 The great water buffalo, from Bombay; his horns are black; his body black.
1900 Stud. Zool. (Cincinnati Zool. Garden) 57 Cape Buffalo Enclosure. This animal is found in South Africa. It frequents damp and marshy places, and because of its partiality for swamps is called the Water Buffalo.
1938 D. C. Peattie Prairie Grove xx. 129 In the rice fields of India plod the water buffalo, subdued to the will of the children that tend them.
2003 M. Ali Brick Lane i. 16 And the mynah birds called from the trees, and the goats fretted by, and the big sad water buffaloes passed like a funeral.
water bug n. (a) any of various heteropteran bugs that live in or on water, now regarded as constituting the infraorders Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha; (b) U.S. a cockroach (order Blattodea).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > member of > aquatic bug or tarsal joint of
water bug1745
pala1865
needle-bug1896
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Dictyoptera > member of genus Blatta (cockroach) > blatta orientalis (water-bug)
water bug1868
1745 W. Ellis Agric. Improv'd I. June xi. 71 Of Water-bugs.—I have made Observations on Bugs of different Kinds in stagnate Waters.
1868 L. M. Alcott Little Women I. xii. 180 Fred..did his best to upset both [the other boats] by paddling about in a wherry, like a disturbed water-bug.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xiii. 318 The term Heteroptera..includes the ordinary plant-bugs and water-bugs.
1967 Kiplinger Mag. Nov. 34/1 The American cockroach..has many aliases, such as ‘waterbug’, ‘palmetto bug’ and ‘Bombay canary’.
2013 Daily Tel. 19 Mar. 30/2 An entrepreneurial Thai woman [was] selling fried grasshoppers, silkworms and water bugs to curious tourists.
water bull n. (in folklore, esp. in Scotland and the Isle of Man) an amphibious animal resembling a bull. [Apparently originally (with reference to the Isle of Man and Scotland) after Manx tarroo ushtey and its equivalent Scottish Gaelic tarbh uisge (1815 or earlier; < tarbh bull + uisge water: see usquebaugh n.).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > mythical creature or object > [noun] > miscellaneous types of > like an animal
sea-wolf1297
water bulla1731
water cow1794
ngarara1901
troll-bull1902
jackalope1950
a1731 G. Waldron Descr. Isle of Man 147 in Compl. Wks. (1731) The Water-Bull.
1815 W. Scott Let. 22 Dec. (1933) IV. 145 The persuasion of the solitary shepherds who approach its [sc. a lake's] banks, is that it is tenanted by a very large amphibious animal calld by them a water-bull.
1889 Trans. Royal Hist. Soc. 4 274 Two young Galeka girls..testified to having seen among the reeds of a remote mere or lagoon, not far from the mouth of the Kei River, the ‘Water Bull’, who plays a prominent part in Kaffir demonology.
1896 A. W. Moore Manx Ballads & Music 71 What if the spotted Water-bull, And the Glastin would take thee?
1907 Trans. Gaelic Soc. Inverness 25 129 Lochan-an-tairbh-uisge is situated on Mornish hill, and there a water bull is said to have had his abode in the days of yore.
1941 Amer. Anthropologist 43 600 In the story of the Water Bull, a Blackfoot girl was stolen by an underwater person while she was bathing.
2002 M. Fleming Not of this World 147 Although seldom seen or heard, water bulls were believed to be numerous, inhabiting waters on the moors and hills all over the Highlands.
water-butterfly n. now historical and rare a damselfly, esp. a demoiselle (demoiselle n. 3).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > Rhopalocera (butterflies) > [noun] > member of (butterfly) > that frequents rivers and lakes
water-butterfly1634
1634 T. T. de Mayerne et al. Moffett's Insectorum Theatrum (new ed.) i. xi. 64 Angli adders boultes, dragon flies, & water butterflies appellant.
1681 N. Grew Musæum Regalis Societatis i. §vii. i. 157 Water-Butterfly, because they most frequent Rivers and watry places.
2012 S. Moss Wild Hares & Hummingbirds (new ed.) 188 Banded demoiselles..are often mistaken for butterflies or day-flying moths, and indeed another name for them is ‘water-butterflies’.
water cavy n. the capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > order Rodentia or rodent > superfamily Hystricomorpha (porcupine or guinea-pig) > [noun] > genus Hydrochoerus (capybara)
water hog1625
river hog1678
capybara1774
water cavy1835
carpincho1839
1835 W. Swainson On Nat. Hist. Quadrupeds ii. viii. 327 The first sub-genus on the list is Hydrochærus, of which there is but one species, the Capybara, or water cavy of Brazil.
1885 Riverside Nat. Hist. (1888) V. 82 The gigantic Water Cavy, or Capybara.
2002 M. Burton & R. Burton Internat. Wildlife Encycl. (ed. 3) III. 382/1 Also called water pig or water cavy, it resembles a huge guinea pig, or cavy.
water-chat n. now rare (a) any of several tyrant flycatchers; = water-tyrant n. (obsolete); (b) (in full forked-tail water-chat) any of several forktails of the genus Enicurus (family Muscicapidae), living near rocky streams in South-East Asia.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > [noun] > family Tyrannidae (tyrant-bird) > member of genus Platyrhynchus > types of
loggerhead1657
walking tyrant1823
water-chat1834
silver-bill1883
1834 H. Murray et al. Encycl. Geogr. iii. 1298 The Stonechats and Wagtails are likewise unknown [in S. Amer.]; the first being supplied by the Ground-peckers.., and the latter by the Water-chats (Fluvicolinæ Sw.).
1867 C. Knight Nat. Hist. III. 333 The Water-Chats of Brazil pass by..imperceptible degrees into the lesser Tyrant-Shrikes (Tyrannula).
1869 A. R. Wallace Malay Archipel. II. xxxix. 431 We find [in New Guinea] two species of Eupetes, a curious Malayan genus allied to the forked-tail water-chats.
1916 H. de V. Stacpoole Reef of Stars xiii. 127 The wonderful crowned pigeon flitted across from bank to bank; fork-tailed water-chats and blue flycatchers flew everywhere.
water chevrotain n. a chevrotain (mouse deer) of Western and Central Africa, Hyemoschus aquaticus, found in humid rainforest.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > [noun] > family Tragulidae (chevrotain)
musk-goat1601
musk deer1673
pelandok1701
hog deer1711
Guinea deer1752
chevrotain1774
mouse deer1778
kanchil1822
napoh1822
tragule1859
water chevrotain1866
traguline1872
deerlet1878
tragulid1889
traguloid1891
1866 List Vertebrated Animals Gardens Zool. Soc. (ed. 4) 50 Hyomoschus aquaticus... Water Chevrotain. Hab. West Africa.
1962 C. M. Turnbull Forest People v. 101 While all the attention was in that direction a water chevrotain, the sindula, had tried to fight its way through Moke's net.
2009 J. A. Coyne Why Evol. is True ii. 53 Indohyus..probably waded in shallow streams or lakes to graze on vegetation or escape from its enemies, much like a similar animal, the African water chevrotain, does today.
water cow n. (a) a legendary or mythical animal associated with water; cf. water bull n.; (b) any of various large amphibious, aquatic, or water-loving mammals, as the water buffalo, hippopotamus, manatee, (female) waterbuck, etc. [With sense (b) compare earlier sea-cow n.]
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > mythical creature or object > [noun] > miscellaneous types of > like an animal
sea-wolf1297
water bulla1731
water cow1794
ngarara1901
troll-bull1902
jackalope1950
1794 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. XII. 275 The neighbouring people allege that there have been water cows seen in or about this lake.
1803 J. Leyden Scenes of Infancy 170 The lake, or loch of Alemoor..is reckoned the residence of the water-cow, an imaginary amphibious monster, not unlike the Siberian mammuth.
1891 Cent. Dict. Water-cow, the common domestic Indian buffalo, Bos bubalus or Bubalus buffelus.
1895 Antiquary July 217 A water-cow is said to inhabit St. Mary's Loch near Yarrow.
1963 Life 19 Apr. 90/4 We had seen a handsome dark-brown female waterbuck (water cow).
1980 C. P. MacCormack in C. MacCormack & M. Strathern Nature, Culture & Gender 100 The hippopotamus or ‘water cow’ mask has rudimentary horns.
2002 M. Fleming Not of this World 148 Many people believed water cows to be fairy animals herded by their owners on the seabed.
2005 S. E. Jorgensen et al. Lake & Reservoir Managem. iv. 219 The proliferation of the water cow, manatee (Halicore dugong), in Florida.
water crake n. now rare (a) the European dipper, Cinclus cinclus (now historical); (b) a rail that lives in wet places; esp. one of the genus Porzana, as the spotted crake, P. porzana, or Baillon's crake, P. pusilla. [With sense (a) compare earlier water ouzel n.]
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Gruiformes > [noun] > family Rallidae (rail) > genus Rallus > rallus aquaticus (water rail)
raila1450
coot1547
brook ouzel1611
bidcock1622
water rail1655
runner1668
water crake1676
bilcock1678
velvet runner1678
skiddy1787
fen-cock1880
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus aquaticus (dipper)
dippera1425
water ouzel1622
waterthrush1668
water crake1676
water blackbird1678
piet1804
water crow1804
water-piet1804
water cock1806
ducker1837
dipper-bird1894
1676 F. Willughby & J. Ray Ornithologiæ i. 20 Merula Aquatica, the Water-Ouzel, or Water-Crake.
1802 G. Montagu Ornithol. Dict. Ouzel–Water,...Provincial, Water Crake.
1849 A. Soyer Mod. Housewife 286 Water-rail, spotted gallinule, or watercrake... The heart is most delicious eating.
1900 Canterbury Old & New 196 In the rail family we have..the striped rail, the water crake, the swamp crake, and the swamp hen.
2007 R. Lovegrove Silent Fields vi. 145 At Market Weighton..307 Dippers (‘water crakes’ and ‘water crows’ were the colloquial names in that part of northern England) were killed.
water creeper n. †(a) a larva of a stonefly (order Plecoptera) (obsolete); (b) any water bug of the family Naucoridae, the members of which crawl about on the bottom of bodies of water and are predators capable of inflicting painful bites (also called creeping water bug).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Plecoptera > member of (stone-fly) > larva
water creeper1662
water cricket1662
1662 R. Venables Experienc'd Angler iii. 23 Some call the flie bred of the water Cricket or Creeper a May-flie, and some a Stone-flie.
1704 J. Smith Compleat Fisher (ed. 3) 27 The Water-Cricket, Water Louse or Creeper is but one, these take Trout in March and April.
1837 J. Kirkbride Northern Angler 35 The Stone Fly..is bred from an insect, found under large stones in the river, called the water cricket, or creeper.
1944 R. Matheson Entomol. for Introd. Courses xii. 204 Membrane of hemelytra not veined. (Water Creepers). Naucoridae.
2005 L. G. Sorenson in J. Kear Ducks, Geese, & Swans II. 585/2 Two ducklings ate seeds of foxtail grass.., and animal matter 3.5% (water boatman, water creeper Pelocoris and snails).
water cricket n. †(a) a larva of a stonefly (order Plecoptera) (obsolete); (b) any of various predatory heteropteran water bugs of the genus Velia (family Veliidae), resembling a pond skater with shorter legs and living on the surface film (also called riffle bug).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Plecoptera > member of (stone-fly) > larva
water creeper1662
water cricket1662
1662 R. Venables Experienc'd Angler iii. 23 Some call the flie bred of the water Cricket or Creeper a May-flie, and some a Stone-flie.
?1711 J. Petiver Gazophylacii VII.–VIII. Table 70 Water Cricket,..This is a slow creeping Insect found at the bottom of Ponds amongst the Weeds.
1855 C. Kingsley Glaucus 159 Water-crickets, which you may find under any stone.
1961 New Scientist 27 July 232/1 If..the exact orientation changes with time, we have true navigation, as Birukow found recently in the water cricket, Velia.
2006 J. T. Costa Other Insect Societies xii. 357 The best studied species is the charmingly named water cricket Velia caprai.
water crow n. any of various waterbirds, esp. (a) the Eurasian coot (now rare, English regional (northern), and Scottish); †(b) a cormorant (cf. water raven n.) (obsolete); (c) the European dipper, Cinclus cinclus (now rare, English regional (chiefly northern), and Scottish); (d) U.S. regional the snakebird, Anhinga anhinga (now rare). [With sense (c) compare post-classical Latin cornix aquatica (1585 in Gesner, or earlier); compare earlier water crake n. and water ouzel n.]
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the world > animals > birds > order Gruiformes > [noun] > family Rallidae (rail) > genus Fulica > fulica atra (coot)
bald-coota1300
water crowa1398
cootc1440
bell-kitea1525
devil1580
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus aquaticus (dipper)
dippera1425
water ouzel1622
waterthrush1668
water crake1676
water blackbird1678
piet1804
water crow1804
water-piet1804
water cock1806
ducker1837
dipper-bird1894
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. xl. 249 Som foules hauen galle priueiliche ihid in a gut, as culueres and watircrowes [L. conturnices] and swalewis.
1538 T. Elyot Dict. Phalacrocorax,..a water crowe, it maye signifie a coote.
1544 W. Turner Avium Præcipuarum sig. B3 Morpetenses, apud quos auem uidi, cornicem vocant aquaticam. [margin] a water craw.
1661 R. Lovell Πανζωορυκτολογια, sive Panzoologicomineralogia 146 The Water Crow may be reduced hither, the skinne of which is used to be worne upon the stomach, causing concoction.
1774 J. Robinson Journey through Nova-Scotia 28 They have eagles, gleads, hawks, buzzards, ravens, and water-crows; but neither sparrows, mountain-larks, cuckows, or rooks.
1804 T. Bewick Hist. Brit. Birds II. 16 (heading) Water Ouzel. Water Crow, Dipper, or Water Piot.
1859 New Amer. Cycl. VI. 271/1 This bird [sc. Plotus anhinga] is a constant resident in Florida, and the lower parts of Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia... In these various localities it goes by the names of water crow, Grecian lady, and cormorant.
1876 C. C. Robinson Gloss. Words Dial. Mid-Yorks. 153/1 Water-crow, the coote or water-hen.
1900 C. Dixon Among Birds Northern Shires 18 It is somewhat curious to find that the local name of Water-crow has been applied to this bird [sc. the dipper] not only in Cornwall but almost universally in Scotland.
2007 R. Lovegrove Silent Fields vi. 145 At Market Weighton..307 Dippers (‘water crakes’ and ‘water crows’ were the colloquial names in that part of northern England) were killed.
water deer n. †(a) the chital or axis deer, Axis axis, of Asia (obsolete); (b) (more fully Chinese water deer) a small deer found near riversides in eastern Asia, Hydropotes inermis, the male of which has tusks.The Chinese water deer is feral in parts of England.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > types of deer > [noun] > genus Moschus (musk-deer)
musk?a1500
must cat1504
musk cat1551
musk-goat1601
moschat1607
musk deer1673
water deer1815
kasturi1837
1815 J. H. Tuckey Maritime Geogr. III. 386 The animal called by the natives the water deer (Cervus Axis)..grows to a great size and lives in the marshes.
1879 Cassell's Nat. Hist. III. 63 (heading) The Chinese Water Deer. [Note] Hydropotes inermis.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xxi. 674 The male of the hornless water-deer has also strong canines.
1996 Guardian 26 Feb. i. 10/7 About the size of a large dog and with a warm sandy brown coat, it was a Chinese Water Deer, an introduction from Asia and the most elusive of Norfolk's five deer species.
water devil n. (a) any of the large predatory larvae of water beetles of the genera Hydrophilus and Dytiscus (now rare); †(b) U.S. = hellgrammite n. (obsolete rare).Sense (b) is apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
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1829 Edinb. Jrnl. Sci. 1 354 No species of larva is known that is provided with weapons of destruction so powerful, so numerous, and well adapted to their end, as those which this creature possesses. It is on this account that it has been popularly called the Water Devil.
1870 C. O. G. Napier Bk. Nature & Bk. Man v. 149 Its ravenous larvæ [sc. of the dragon fly] are kept in check by the ‘water devils’ or larvæ of Dytiscus which often get possession of them.
1891 Cent. Dict. Water-devil,..2. The dobson or hellgrammite.
1907 J. W. Schultz My Life as Indian xi. 128 Besides fish we now ate the flesh of water devils which could swim faster than an otter.
1954 H. Bastin Freaks & Marvels Insect Life Pl. XIII, (caption) The voracious larva of the diving-beetle—known colloquially as ‘the water devil’—has sharp-pointed tubular jaws through which it sucks the juices of its prey.
† water doe n. Obsolete rare a female waterbuck.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > antelope > [noun] > subfamily Reduncinae > genus Kobus > kobus ellipsiprymnus (water-buck) > female
water doe1850
1850 R. Gordon-Cumming Five Years Hunter's Life S. Afr. (ed. 2) II. xxiii. 139 A troop of beautiful water does.
water eagle n. now rare the osprey, Pandion haliaetus.
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the world > animals > birds > order Falconiformes (falcons, etc.) > [noun] > family Pandionidae (osprey)
pygarga1398
ospreyc1450
ospring1530
water eagle1562
bone-breaker1598
ospringer?1611
ossifrage1658
fish-eagle1678
fishing hawk1694
fishing eaglea1792
eagle fisher1801
fish-hawk1808
break-bones1838
1562 W. Bullein Bk. Simples f. lxxxjv, in Bulwarke of Defence God haue ordained the water Egle, called Haliæetus the Osspraie, to feare the fishes, and fede upon them.
1760 S. Derrick Lett. (1767) I. 103 Not far from hence is the Eagle's Nest, a most stupendous rock,..in several cavities of which the land-eagle, and the osprey or water-eagle, build their nests.
1883 Harper's Mag. Feb. 465 Where the swan and water-eagle and the bittern make their nest.
2010 D. Glenns Words of Piasa 17 There is no mistaking his boat, even at a distance you can see the huge water eagle pictured upon his sail.
water-eft n. [ < water n. + eft n.1; in quot. 1605 apparently after German †Wassereidechse (see water lizard n.)] now rare a newt, esp. the smooth newt, Lissotriton vulgaris; (also) any newt in an aquatic stage of its life cycle.
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Urodela or Caudata > [noun] > family Salamandridae (newts) > newt > aquatic
water-eft1605
cordyl1608
water lizard1608
water newt1667
1605 J. Mosan tr. C. Wirsung Gen. Pract. Physick sig. Lll3v/2 Stincus officinarum, Scincus, Crocodilus terrestris, an earth Crocodile. Our doting fooles vse the water Euet [Ger. WasserEydechsen [sic]] for it, which is as like it, as an apple is like an Oyster.
1768 G. White Let. 27 July in Nat. Hist. Selborne (1789) 54 The water-eft has not, that I can discern, the least appearance of any gills.
1888 Fishing Gaz. 1 Sept. 109/3 (heading) How to get rid of water efts, or newts.
1967 H. Orton & M. F. Wakelin Surv. Eng. Dial. IV. ii. 482 Q[uestion]. What do you call that small four-legged, long-tailed creature, blackish on top; it darts about in ponds?.. [Devon] Water-evet.
1970 C. Simms Lives Brit. Lizards i. 28 In many country districts the breeding and non-breeding forms of the same species of newts are known by different names, often water-eft and eft, or eft and swift.
† waterfish n. Obsolete rare a fish that lives in fresh water. [Perhaps compare Old Icelandic vatnfiskr fresh water fish.]
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tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 438 And feede in hit thy waterfissh & eel [L. anguillas sane piscesque fluviales].
water flea n. †(a) a whirligig beetle (family Gyrinidae) (obsolete); (b) any of various tiny freshwater cladoceran crustaceans, esp. of the genus Daphnia, which swim by flicking their branched antennae.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Crustacea > [noun] > subclass Entomostraca > order Phyllopoda > suborder Cladocera > member of
water flea1572
Daphnia1847
daphnioid1852
cladoceran1909
1572 J. Higgins Huloets Dict. (rev. ed.) Flea, called a water flea, a litle round & blacke one, somewhat bigger then a flea, that vpon standing waters moste swiftely ronneth, and is rare or neuer quiet, but mouing still.
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 218 Squillæ Venetianæ i. e. Venice-shrimps,..are of that sort which naturalists call Pulices marini or aquatici, i. e. Sea-fleas or water-fleas.
1752 J. Hill Gen. Nat. Hist. III. 52 The smooth short-horned Dytiscus..is called by some Pulex aquaticus, the water Flea.
1866 E. C. Rye Brit. Beetles 66 The Gyrini, commonly known as ‘water-fleas’, ‘whirlwigs’, or ‘whirligigs’.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xi. 231 Among the lower crustaceans, such as water-fleas and acorn-shells, the commonest larva is a Nauplius.
2001 Trop. Fish Hobbyist Apr. 23 The dwarf gourami..prefers live foods, such as tubifex, mosquito larvae, daphnia (water fleas), and cyclops.
water frog n. any frog that lives in water (cf. tree-frog n., wood-frog n. at wood n.1 Compounds 2b(c), etc.); (in later use) esp. any of a group of European green frogs that includes the marsh frog Rana ridibunda and the pool frog R. lessonae and hybrids between these, including the edible frog (formerly known as R. esculenta). Rana ridibunda and R. lessonae are now often included in the genus Pelophylax.
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Anura or Salienta (frogs and toads) > [noun] > frog > in water
water frogOE
OE tr. Chrodegang of Metz Regula Canonicorum (Corpus Cambr. 191) lxxxi. 333 Wæterfrocgan hwilon hi ma gesihð of wætere, and swaþeah secað to fullicum morseohtrum.
1553 H. Llwyd tr. Pope John XXI Treasury of Healthe (new ed.) sig. B.v The bloud of water Frogges, of a water snaile.
1655 I. Walton Compl. Angler (ed. 2) xx. 338 Lebault allowes Water Frogs to be good meat..if they be fat.
1731 M. Catesby Nat. Hist. Carolina II. 70 The Water-Frog.
1837 Daily Commerc. Bull. (St. Louis, Missouri) 14 Apr. The lively notes of the water frog, and the joyous carrolling of the thrush..greeted our ears in a short ride yesterday.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xviii. 480 The water-frog or edible frog (Rana esculenta)..is not a native of Britain, though often occurring as an escape.
1996 D. Dabydeen Counting House (1997) 67 Waterfrogs croaked like anxious old men cracking and re-cracking their knuckles.
2008 S. Chester Wildlife Guide Chile 122/2 Zapahuira water frog, Telmatobius zapahuirensis, is a semi-aquatic frog found in streams and small rivers in the High Andes.
water gnat n. any of various insects associated with water; esp. a bug that lives on the surface film (as a pond skater or a water measurer) or a gnat that breeds in water.
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1665 R. Hooke Micrographia xix. 123 But of this somewhat more in the description of the Water-gnat.
1745 S. Hales Acct. Exper. & Observ. Tar-water 23 These Water-Gnats, and other small Insects, died..in Tar-Water.
1877 J. G. Wood Useful Arts in Nature's Teachings xiii. 467 The common Water-gnat (Gerris), which may be seen in almost any piece of fresh water.
1953 H. Mellanby Animal Life in Fresh Water (ed. 5) viii. 147 The Watermeasurer or Water-gnat (Hydrometra stagnorum) is a very attenuated pond skater.
2006 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 5 Aug. e1 At the same time, what seem like a million water gnats hatch around me.
water hare n. now rare †(a) the great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus (obsolete); (b) either of two South American rodents, the spotted paca ( Cuniculus paca) and the capybara ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) (now rare); cf. water hog n. 1; (c) U.S. the swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus, of the south-eastern United States (cf. water rabbit n.). [ < water n. + hare n.; in sense (a) after post-classical Latin lepus aqueus (1635 or earlier); compare lepus aquaticus (1662 or earlier in this sense). With sense (c) compare scientific Latin Lepus aquaticus (1837; compare water rabbit n. and swamp hare n. at swamp n. Compounds 4).]
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1678 J. Ray tr. F. Willughby Ornithol. iii. 339 (heading) Of the Water-Hare [L. de Lepore aqueo], or crested Mexican Douker.
1830 D. Booth Analyt. Dict. Eng. Lang. 159 A large Waterfowl, the Crested Diver, (Colymbus cristatus) is, on account of the rapidity of its motions, called the Sea-hare, or Water-hare.
1854 C. Knight Eng. Cycl.: Nat. Hist. II. 57 It [sc. the paca] is..the Pak of the colonists of Cayenne, and the Water-Hare of those of Surinam.
1858 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Patents 1857: Agric. 85 (heading) in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (35th Congr., 1st Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc. 32, Pt. 4) VII Swamp Rabbit, or Water Hare. Lepus aquaticus, Bachman.
1861 J. Hunter Ess. & Obs. Nat. Hist. II. 211 (heading) [The Capybara (Hydrochœrus Capybara, Erxl.).] The Water Hare, Le Cabiai of Buffon.
1864 S. Moody Palm Tree 266 A sight formed by a large tooth of the Paca or water hare of Surinam is fixed on with pitch.
1907 A. R. H. Moncrieff World of To-day V. 146 The wild animals most often met are..the aguti, more like a long-tailed rabbit, and the capybara, or water-hare.
1941 Louisiana: Guide to State (Federal Writers' Project) i. 25 Abundant in the wetlands, open or wooded, is the water hare, or swamp rabbit.
water junket n. British regional (nowrare) the common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos.
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the world > animals > birds > order Charadriiformes > family Scolopacidae (snipes, etc.) > [noun] > member of
sandpiper1674
stone-runner1681
sand bird1709
piper1793
tattler1831
water junket1833
tip-up1848
kitty-needy1850
weet-weet1852
peep1864
sand-runner1894
1833 P. J. Selby Illustr. Brit. Ornithol. II. 81 Common Sandpiper... Provincial.—Willy-wicket, Water-junket, Summer Snipe.
1852 W. Macgillivray Hist. Brit. Birds IV. 351 Actitis Hypoleucos. The White-breasted Weet-weet. Common Sandpiper. Willywicket. Water Junket. Fiddler.
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 196 Common Sandpiper... From its fondness for the sandy margin of lakes and rivers it is called..Water junket.
1909 O. Herman & J. A. Owen Birds Useful & Birds Harmful vii. 297 Its cousin, the Common Sandpiper.., is also a lively creature, that goes by the name of Fidler Willy-wicket, Dicky-dy-dee, and Water-junket.
† water-lawyer n. humorous Obsolete a shark.
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the world > animals > fish > subclass Elasmobranchii > order Pleurotremata > [noun] > member of (shark)
shark1569
hay-fish1613
sea-shark1655
sea-panther1668
beam-fish1742
squalus1753
water-lawyer1794
squaloid1836
Noah's Ark1945
Noah1965
1794 Sporting Mag. 3 50 A water-lawyer, or, in plainer terms a shark was caught last month near Workington.
1846 Christian Advocate & Jrnl. 20 May 162 We saw two large sharks, moving leisurely round the vessel... The sailors call them ‘salt water lawyers’.]
water leech n. an aquatic leech (see leech n.2 a); cf. land-leech n. at land n.1 Compounds 2b(b).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > phylum Annelida > [noun] > class Hirudinea > member of (leech)
leecha900
water leechc1350
bloodsuckera1387
lough-leech1562
loch leech1579
sanguisuge1585
censur1597
leech-worm1794
hirudinean1835
sangsuea1849
snail-leech1865
c1350 Nominale (Cambr. Ee.4.20) in Trans. Philol. Soc. (1906) 13* So drawith blode the waturleche [Fr. sangsue]..As the ventuser of rawe flesch.
a1475 J. Russell Bk. Nurture (Harl. 4011) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 176 His shon or slyppers [to be] as browne as is þe waturleche.
1681 R. Knox Hist. Relation Ceylon i. vi. 25 But besides these, there are Water Leaches the same with ours.
1837 Q. Rev. July 161 Pickler..speculates on water-leeches which get into people's stomachs and kill them.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. vi. 112 Earthworms and lob-worms, land-leeches and water-leeches, ribbon-worms.., and many more besides, are all ‘worms’.
2007 Salon.com (Nexis) 7 Sept. Unlike with water leeches, people don't immediately realize they've been bitten [by land leeches].
water lizard n. (originally) any of various lizards or lizard-like animals living in or near water, esp. a newt (family Salamandridae) (now rare); (in later use) spec. a monitor lizard (family Varanidae), esp. one that is a strong swimmer (cf. water monitor n.). [Compare German †Wassereidechse newt (1587 as wassereidex ; in later use also ‘monitor lizard’); compare slightly earlier water-eft n.]
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Urodela or Caudata > [noun] > family Salamandridae (newts) > newt > aquatic
water-eft1605
cordyl1608
water lizard1608
water newt1667
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Lacertilia (lizards) > [noun] > family Varanidae or genus Varanus > member of (monitor)
guana1697
worrala1701
monitory lizard1790
monitor1802
goanna1831
safeguard1831
sauvegarde1840
varanian1841
varan1843
water lizard1865
monitor lizard1869
varanid1896
varanus1934
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 212 (heading) Of the Nevte or Water Lizard.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes IV. 1318 The Iacare Lizards are of a notable greatnesse. [margin] Water Lizards. Iacare (or Crocodile).
1742 C. Owen Ess. Nat. Hist. Serpents i. 93 Newts (or Water-lizards) Frogs, Snails, and such icy Animals, will endure the Fire for a longer time than others will.
1865 Nat. Hist. Rev. July 312 The Water-lizards (Varanidæ) are also a well-marked feature in Indian Herpetology.
1911 Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 20 96 Being away from home..and no one else looking after the aquarium, I found upon my return that my water lizards had changed back to the land form.
1928 C. W. Gilmore Fossil Lizards N. Amer. (National Acad. Sci.) 52 Varanus prasinus is supposed to be arboreal; others, as V. salvator and V. niloticus,..are excellent swimmers and deserve the name of water lizards.
2004 E. R. Pianka et al. Varanoid Lizards of World vi. 239 The remaining individual tolerated four sail-tailed water lizards..(Hydrosaurus amboinensis) without attacking them as prey.
water louse n. any of various aquatic insects and crustaceans; (in later use) esp. any isopod crustacean of the genus Asellus, the members of which resemble woodlice.
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1681 J. Chetham Angler's Vade Mecum iv. 46 (heading) Water-Cricket, Water-Lowse or Creeper.
1745 W. Ellis Agric. Improv'd I. June xi. 71 Of Water-lice.—I have often seen these, in stagnate Waters... They are very swift in Motion.
1855 Amer. Cotton Planter Apr. 117/1 Cistern water will have ‘wiggletails’ and what is called ‘water lice’.
1953 H. Mellanby Animal Life in Fresh Water (ed. 5) vii. 107 Such young water-lice are one of the best objects for observing the circulation of the blood in Crustacea.
2002 Dalesman Jan. 51/2 There were still many water lice around so the drinking water had to be strained through muslin—a process calling ‘sarling’—and hopefully boiled.
water mite n. any of numerous mites adapted to living in water, typically acting as predators or parasites of other aquatic animals, esp. invertebrates.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Arachnida > [noun] > order Aranea > suborder Labidognatha or Dipneumones > member of family Pisauridae
water spider1702
water mite1763
water tick1763
raft spider1865
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > [noun] > member of > defined by habitat or breeding place > aquatic insect
water spider1547
water mite1763
water tick1763
1763 R. Brookes New Syst. Nat. Hist. IV. xiii. 278 The Scarlet Water mite, has a body of an oval shape, and a depressed back.
1817 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. II. xxiii. 365 The little water-mites (Hydrachna) may be seen in every pool thus working their little legs with great rapidity.
1941 R. Headstrom Adventures with Microscope xvi. 60 A very common water-mite of our ponds is a red species known by the name of Eylais.
2007 Behavioral Ecol. & Sociobiol. 61 1322/1 The water mite Neumania papillator feeds on copepods, which it locates by detecting water vibrations.
water moccasin n. a large and dangerously venomous pit viper, Agkistrodon piscivorus, which frequents lowland swamps and waterways in the southern United States (also called cottonmouth); (also) any of several non-venomous colubrid water snakes of the genus Nerodia which resemble this.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > unspecified and miscellaneous types of
hypnalea1398
death adder1608
adder1698
water moccasin1821
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > subfamily Crotalinae > member of genus Trigonocephalus
water moccasin1821
lance-head1859
fer-de-lance1880
lance-snake1880
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > subfamily Crotalinae > genus Agkistrodon > agkistrodon piscivorus (moccasin)
water rattlesnake1737
water viper1737
moccasin snake1765
water moccasin1821
1821 T. Nuttall Jrnl. Trav. Arkansa Territory 1819 ix. 154 The other frequents water, and is called the water-mockasin.
1896 J. B. Cory Hunting & Fishing in Florida 130 Natrix taxispilota... A large Water Moccasin, common about the lakes and rivers.
1963 Life 1 Mar. 54A/1 There are four major killers in the U.S.—the rattler, the copperhead, the water moccasin and the coral snake.
2008 J. B. Jensen et al. Amphibians & Reptiles of Georgia 384/1 The brown watersnake is commonly called..moccasin or water moccasin (even by people who understand that it is not a venomous cottonmouth).
water mongoose n. a mongoose that lives near water; esp. the marsh mongoose, Atilax paludinosus, of sub-Saharan Africa.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > order Carnivora > [noun] > family Herpestidae > other types of
water mongoose1895
1895 Nat. Sci. 6 93 The Water-mungoose (Herpestes brachyurus) is very rare in the [Malay] Peninsula.
1919 F. W. Fitzsimons Nat. Hist. S. Afr.: Mammals II. 26 The Water Mungoose is common throughout South Africa, and extends north as far as the Equator.
2006 Waterbirds 29 321/2 During the study period Water Mongoose..occurred there irregularly and in very small numbers.
water monitor n. any of several semiaquatic monitor lizards of the genus Varanus; esp. the Nile monitor, Varanus niloticus, of Africa, and Varanus salvator of South Asia.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Lacertilia (lizards) > [noun] > family Varanidae or genus Varanus > varanus niloticus (Nile monitor)
iguana1753
water monitor1811
Nilotic monitor1840
Nile monitor1900
1811 J. Parkinson Org. Remains Former World III. xx. 293 The water-monitor of Egypt has fourteen [teeth] at the top, but only twelve at the bottom.
1947 J. Stevenson-Hamilton Wild Life S. Afr. xxxv. 316 Varanus niloticus, or the water monitor, is found in reeds and rocks, close to the water's edge.
2006 J. Cummings et al. Sri Lanka (Lonely Planet) (ed. 10) 62 The water monitor is distinguished by its sheer size and colourful markings.
water moth n. [ < water n. + moth n.1; in sense (a) after post-classical Latin tinea aquatica (1575 in Gesner, or earlier)] †(a) a caddis fly (order Trichoptera) (obsolete); (b) the water veneer, Acentria ephemerella (family Crambidae), a small European moth with larvae and females which live in water.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > division Endopterygota or Metabola (winged) > [noun] > order Trichoptera > family Phryganeidae or genus Phryganea > member of (caddis-fly)
mayfly1640
water moth1668
trout-fly1746
cadew1775
caddis-fly1787
caseworm fly1828
caperer1856
1668 W. Charleton Onomasticon Zoicon 58 Tinea aquatica, the Water-Moth.
1854 A. Adams et al. Man. Nat. Hist. 216 The Water-Moths and their larvæ are well known to the angler as bait, under the names of Caddice-Flies and Caddice-Worms.
1983 J. L. Cloudsley-Thompson et al. Nightwatch v. 87/1 The most aquatic of all moths is the water moth, for in this species the female is wingless and lives below the surface.
2004 Jrnl. North Amer. Benthol. Soc. 23 151/1 The text provides enlightening discussions of..the remarkable mating behaviour of the nonwinged female water moth.
water newt n. now rare = newt n. [Compare earlier water-eft n.]
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Urodela or Caudata > [noun] > family Salamandridae (newts) > newt > aquatic
water-eft1605
cordyl1608
water lizard1608
water newt1667
1667 T. Sprat Hist. Royal-Soc. 223 The sixth are Experiments Medicinal, and Anatomical; as of..killing Water-Newts, Toads, and Sloworms with several Salts.
1768 G. White Let. 18 June in Nat. Hist. Selborne (1789) 49 The salamandra aquatica of Ray (the water-newt or eft) will frequently bite at the angler's bait.
1858 J. G. Wood Common Objects of Country iv. 48 Two species of these creatures are found in this country, the common Water-Newt and the Smooth Newt.
2012 L. Banks Princess & Outlaw iv. 77 She had the concentration of a water newt.
water opossum n. †(a) an opossum shrimp, Praunus flexuosus (obsolete rare); (b) a semiaquatic marsupial with webbed hind feet and water-repellent fur, Chironectes minimus (family Didelphidae), found in and near streams and rivers in Mexico and Central and South America; also called yapok.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Implacenta > subclass Marsupialia (marsupials) > [noun] > family Didelphidae (opossum) > other types of
philander1753
marmose1774
murine opossum1796
water opossum1819
yapock1827
manicou1953
1819 Dialogues Entomol. xliv. 390 Oh, mamma, it should be called the water opossum.
1846 G. R. Waterhouse Nat. Hist. Mammalia I. 533 The Yapock, or Water-Opossum.
1921 Conquest Sept. 484/2 The tropical American water-opossum, which was described by Buffon as ‘the little otter of Guiana’.
2009 Evolution 63 2451/2 The water opossum..is the sole semiaquatic marsupial known.
water ouzel n. a dipper (genus Cinclus); esp. C. cinclus, of Europe (now chiefly historical), and C. mexicanus, of North America. [Compare German Wasseramsel (1557 in Gesner) and also post-classical Latin merula aquatica (see water blackbird n.).]
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus aquaticus (dipper)
dippera1425
water ouzel1622
waterthrush1668
water crake1676
water blackbird1678
piet1804
water crow1804
water-piet1804
water cock1806
ducker1837
dipper-bird1894
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus mexicanus
ouzel1611
water ouzel1622
water witch1709
1622 M. Drayton 2nd Pt. Poly-olbion xxv. 107 The water-woosell next, all ouer black as Ieat.
1770 G. White Let. 8 Oct. in Nat. Hist. Selborne (1789) 134 The water-ousel is said to haunt the mouth of the Lewes river.
1849 C. Kingsley N. Devon: Pt. I in Misc. (1860) II. 243 The startled water-ousel, with his white breast, flitted a few yards.
1930 Nature Mag. Mar. 156/2 In the little mountain streams the water ouzel splashes.
1998 Audubon Mar. 35/2 And I particularly like the water ouzels' nests of mud, which cling to the sides of enormous stones.
water-ox n. the domesticated water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis; (also) the hide of this.In quot. 1615: perhaps the forest buffalo, Syncerus caffer nanus. [ < water n. + ox n.; in quot. 1836 after Chinese shuǐniú water buffalo ( < shuǐ water (see feng shui n.) + niú ox).]
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the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > subfamily Bovinae (bovine) > [noun] > Bubalus bubalis (water buffalo)
buffle?c1510
buffalo1588
water-ox1615
ante1625
buffa1710
water buffalo1827
1615 E. Grimeston tr. P. d'Avity Estates 1098 There doe also ingender in those riuers [in Africa] certaine water oxen [Fr. beufs d'eau], which liue for some dayes vpon the land.
1836 J. F. Davis Chinese II. xx. 380 A small buffalo..called by the Chinese Shuey-new, ‘water-ox’, from its propensity for muddy shallows.
1884 Littell's Living Age 161 88 Water-oxen turned up their noses at us.
2002 N. Tosches In Hand of Dante 259 The hide of its binding awaits as well: the very finest water-ox, tanned in the very finest African way.
† water-parrot n. Obsolete rare a microscopic aquatic organism said to be sometimes red in colour (not identified; perhaps a water flea or a copepod).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > [noun] > member of > small
miteOE
minta1500
water-parrot1772
nigget1875
smut1899
1772 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 61 242 The water parrot..is the best known [species of Monoculus]..on account of its colour, sometimes red, which makes the vulgar believe that the water is changed into blood.
1781 J. Barbut Les Genres des Insectes de Linné 360/1 The water-parrot and the shell-monoculus, are remarkable.
water pheasant n. †(a) originally and chiefly U.S. any of various ducks thought to resemble a pheasant, esp. a merganser or a pintail (obsolete); (b) the turbot (turbot n. 1) (now historical); (c) the pheasant-tailed jacana, Hydrophasianus chirurgus, of Asia.
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1709 J. Lawson New Voy. Carolina 148 The Water-Pheasant (very improperly call'd so) are a Water-Fowl of the Duck-Kind, having a Topping, of pretty Feathers, which sets them out.
1745 D. Hay tr. L. Lémery Treat. Foods ii. lviii. 298 It [sc. the turbot] is by some called Phasianus aquaticus, the Water-Pheasant, by Reason of the Goodness of its Taste.
1785 T. Jefferson Notes Virginia vi. 130/2 Water-pheasant.
1815 Sporting Mag. 45 256 A water pheasant, a bird not very common, was shot..near Lewes.
1854 Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 13 374 The next closely allied genus is the beautiful Hydrophasianus chirurgus; this elegant bird is known as the Water Pheasant.
1900 F. T. Pollok & W. S. Thom Wild Sports Burma & Assam ii. 34 The water-fowl..are very numerous, but none of them are worth mentioning excepting the water-pheasant.
1986 J. Marchant & T. Prater Shorebirds (2011) 217 Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus... Other name: Water-pheasant.
2004 S. Cochrane & F. Pleijel tr. F. E. Moen Marine Fish & Invertebr. Northern Europe ii. 572 The turbot therefore became known as the ‘water pheasant’, an expression still used in France to this day.
water-piet n. Scottish (now rare) the European dipper Cinclus cinclus; = piet n. 2c. [Compare earlier water ouzel n.]
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus aquaticus (dipper)
dippera1425
water ouzel1622
waterthrush1668
water crake1676
water blackbird1678
piet1804
water crow1804
water-piet1804
water cock1806
ducker1837
dipper-bird1894
1804 T. Bewick Hist. Brit. Birds II. 16 (heading) Water Ouzel. Water Crow, Dipper, or Water Piot.
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 30 Dipper... The white breast and blackish upper plumage have caused it to be called Piet (Scotland). Water piet (Scotland).
1907 Country Life 22 June 903/1 The most familiar British names for this bird are dipper, water-crow, water-piet and Bessy Ducker.
water pipit n. a streaky brown Eurasian songbird, Anthus spinoletta, breeding in mountains and migrating to wet lowland areas in winter; (also) the similar North American bird A. rubescens (now usually called buff-bellied pipit).Both A. spinoletta and A. rubescens were formerly considered to be conspecific with the rock pipit, A. petrosus.
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Motacillidae > genus Anthus > anthus spinoletta (water-pipit)
sea-lark1602
rock-lark1771
rock pipit1830
water pipit1831
shore pipit1837
sea-titling1872
tang-sparrow1880
1831 J. J. Audubon Ornithol. Biogr. I. 50 I am inclined to consider the Brown Titlark identical with the Water Pipit of Europe.
1896 A. G. Butler Brit. Birds with their Nests & Eggs I. 205 The Water-Pipit. Anthus spipoletta [sic], Linn.
1969 H. Horwood Newfoundland v. 29 Offshore there are low, sandy islands, the home of terns and plovers, horned larks and water pipits.
2012 Birdwatch Apr. 19/3 The odd Kingfisher might linger from winter, but scarcer migrants could include Rock and Water Pipits.
water-puppy n. North American any of various salamanders, esp. of the genus Necturus (cf. mud puppy n. and water dog n. 3c).
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Urodela or Caudata > [noun] > family Cryptobranchidae > cryptobranchus alleghaniensis (hellbender)
land pike1687
hellbender1812
mud-devil1825
water-puppy1832
Menopoma1835
menopome1842
man-eater1859
ground-puppy1863
mud puppy1877
the world > animals > amphibians > order Urodela or Caudata > [noun] > family Proteidae (mudpuppies) > genus Menobranchus or Necturus > necturus maculosus (mud-puppy)
Menobranchus1831
water dog1832
water-puppy1832
menobrancha1836
dog1859
dogfish1877
mud puppy1877
1832 Edinb. New Philos. Jrnl. 12 298 M. Audubon, the celebrated American ornithologist,..paid me a visit at Canonmills; and recognised the siren as an old acquaintance, occasionally taken in the trawl-nets, and called by the fishermen water-dog and water-puppy.
1876 Forest & Stream 20 July 385/3 The water puppy (Menobranchus lateralis) inhabits the lake [sc. Erie].
1995 C. C. Lockwood Louisiana Nature Guide 18 There is also a diverse group of lizard-shaped amphibians..including newts, water-puppies, sirens, and congo eels.
water rabbit n. U.S. rare the swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus; = water hare n. (c).
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the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > order Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares) > [noun] > family Leporidae > genus Sylvilagus (cotton-tail) > sylvilagus aquaticus (swamp rabbit)
swamp rabbit1845
water rabbit1857
swamp hare1891
1857 S. F. Baird Mammals in Rep. Explor. & Surv. Route Railroad VIII. 612 (heading) Lepus Aquaticus, Bachman. Water Rabbit.
1866 S. Tenney Nat. Hist. 82 The Water Rabbit, L. aquaticus, Bach., of the Lower Mississippi region,..is common in wet grounds, often takes to the water when pursued, and swims and dives with facility.
1901 H. Garman in Bull. Kentucky Agric. Exper. Station No. 93. 116 The water rabbit occurs in the State at the present time.
water rattle n. U.S. (now rare) = water rattler n.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > subfamily Crotalinae > genus or member of genus Crotalus > rattlesnake
rattlesnake1624
cascabel1758
prairie rattlesnake1817
rattler1827
water rattle1832
mangrove cascabel1858
horned rattlesnake1870
sidewinder1875
prairie rattler1878
diamond rattlesnake1883
water rattler1888
diamond-back1907
timber rattler1936
1832 T. P. Lockwood Geogr. S. Carolina 132 Many species of Serpents are found in the woods..the small rattle, hognose-rattle, water-rattle, [etc.].
1885 J. B. Holder Animate Creation 103 The Diamond Rattlesnake..inhabits damp, shady places; hence the local name, Water Rattle.
1907 R. L. Ditmars Reptile Bk. iv. xxvii. 257 They [sc. brown water snakes]..assume a striking similarity to small examples of the banded rattlesnake.., hence the appellation of ‘water rattle’, which the negroes have given the species.
1981 D. W. Linzey & M. J. Clifford Snakes Virginia 41 Two bits of folklore are associated with this species [sc. the brown water snake]. One is that it is a deadly type of rattlesnake (hence the name ‘water rattle’), although it lacks any sort of rattle.
water rattler n. U.S. (a) the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus (now rare); (b) any of several non-venomous water snakes thought to resemble this, esp. the brown water snake, Nerodia taxispilota.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > subfamily Crotalinae > genus or member of genus Crotalus > rattlesnake
rattlesnake1624
cascabel1758
prairie rattlesnake1817
rattler1827
water rattle1832
mangrove cascabel1858
horned rattlesnake1870
sidewinder1875
prairie rattler1878
diamond rattlesnake1883
water rattler1888
diamond-back1907
timber rattler1936
1888 J. S. Kingsley Riverside Nat. Hist. III. 401 The reptile is commonly known as the water-rattler in some portions of the south, though the name diamond-rattler..is more general.
1904 Forestry & Irrigation 10 210/1 In the south they flounder through the gloomy swamps of cypress and black gum,..made nimble of foot by occasionally running upon a moccasin or water-rattler coiled on a tussock.
1931 W. L. Haltom Alabama Reptiles (Geol. Surv. Alabama) 73 They have the habit of coiling in a nearly circular fashion, and when in this position assume a striking similarity to small examples of the banded rattlesnake.., hence the appellation of ‘Water rattler’.
2008 J. B. Jensen et al. Amphibians & Reptiles of Georgia 384/1 The brown watersnake is commonly called water pilot, water rattler, pied-bellied water snake, [etc.].
water rattlesnake n. U.S. (now rare) †(a) the water moccasin, Agkistrodon piscivorus (obsolete); (b) the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > subfamily Crotalinae > genus Agkistrodon > agkistrodon piscivorus (moccasin)
water rattlesnake1737
water viper1737
moccasin snake1765
water moccasin1821
1737 Philos. Trans. 1735–6 (Royal Soc.) 39 254 This Sort is commonly called in Carolina, the Water Rattle-Snake, not that it hath a Rattle, but from the Likeness of its Colour, and its Bite being as mortal.
1799 A. M. F. J. Palisot de Beauvois in Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. 4 368 The third, a non-descript, and known by the name of the water rattlesnake, is larger than the former,..and as it lives near the waters, might be presumed to make its food of frogs... I propose then to call [the snake in figure] No. 2. crotalus adamanteus, after the form of the marks on its back.
1803 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. III. 96 The Water Viper..is a large species, called in Carolina and some other parts of America the Water Rattle-Snake. Its tail however, instead of a rattle, ends in a somewhat blunt horny point.
1856 Med. Examiner May 267 In all the American Ophidia which I have had the opportunity of examining, as the banded rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus), the water rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus), [etc.].
1919 Encycl. Americana XXIII. 230/1 The diamond or water rattlesnake..reaches a length of more than eight feet.
water raven n. now rare any of several waterbirds (cf. water crow n.); esp. †(a) a large wading bird found in Latin America (perhaps the jabiru, Jabiru mycteria, or an ibis) (obsolete); (b) a cormorant (genus Phalacrocorax). [ < water n. + raven n.1; in quot. 1598 after Dutch water raaf (1596 in the passage translated, in later use denoting a cormorant; compare sense (b)).]
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1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies ii. 218/1 Wild Geese, Ducks, water Rauens [Du. water ravens], white, red, & blacke, and ash coloured, Reighures and many other water foules.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. xi. xxxvii. 332 Some reasonlesse creatures..are by nature bald, as..certaine water Ravens [L. corvi aquatici].
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. xi. 260/2 The Water Raven, or Acacalot: the Bill bends like a bow, and is blew: the Legs long, Feet cloved into four Toes, and blackish.
1774 tr. J. von Stæhlin Acct. New Northern Archipel. 35 The Uril (Corvus Aquaticus) is a kind of water-raven, not unlike the crane: it is esteemed as a dainty.
1827 Inspector 2 185 While the two flames were thus fighting, one with the other, the water-raven flew over them.
1908 J. Ogilvie Eng. Dict. Cormorant, the sea-crow, or water-raven, distinguished for its voracity.
water salamander n. a newt. [ < water n. + salamander n., after French salamandre d'eau (1558 in Middle French, or earlier) and post-classical Latin salamandra aquatica (1565 or earlier). Compare slightly earlier water lizard n. and water-eft n.]
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1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Salmandre d'eau. The water Salamander; black-backed, red-bellied, and full of yellow spots.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. The salamandra aquatica, or water salamander.
1870 H. A. Nicholson Man. Zool. II. lxi. 386 The Water-salamanders..are distinguished from the terrestrial forms by being furnished with a compressed fish-like tail.
1939 A. W. Meyer Rise of Embryol. v. 80 He was interested in..the regeneration of the heads of land snails and that of the limbs and tails of water salamanders.
2008 A. H. Verrill Never Dull Moment viii. 66 There were also several species of water salamanders, and I never tired of watching these ‘newts’ change their skins.
water scorpion n. any of various predatory heteropteran water bugs of the genus Nepa and related genera of the family Nepidae, having a flat oval body, raptorial forelegs, and a long posterior breathing tube resembling a tail.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > family Nepidae > member of
water scorpion1668
1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. ii. v. 123 Water Scorpion.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. at Scorpion Water Scorpion, scorpio palustris,..is a very thin and light little creature, yet is but a very slow mover.
1861 R. T. Hulme tr. C. H. Moquin-Tandon Elements Med. Zool. ii. iv. i. 226 The Grey Nepa (Nepa Cinerea, Linn.), commonly called Water Scorpion or Water Spider.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xiii. 313 The water-scorpion (Nepa cinerea ) may carry the minute bivalve Sphaerium which has closed its shell on the insect's hind-feet.
2002 Water Gardener July 97/2 Newts, backswimmers and water scorpions are all partial to the odd tadpole.
water shrew n. any of various shrews (family Soricidae) that usually live near water, and are capable of swimming and diving for food; esp. Neomys fodiens of Eurasia, which has fur that is black above and white beneath.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > [noun] > order Insectivora > family Soricidae > genus Neomys (water-shrew)
water shrew-mouse1764
blind-mouse1770
water shrew1771
pig mouse1905
1771 T. Pennant Synopsis Quadrupeds 308 (margin) Water [Shrew].
1840 Mag. Nat. Hist. 4 149 My attention was arrested by several water-shrews actively engaged in a dyke that runs parallel to the river.
1902 R. Lydekker Libr. Nat. Hist. I. 335 A still further modification for the purposes of an aquatic life is exhibited by the web-footed water-shrew (Nectogale elegans) of Tibet.
2004 Independent (Compact ed.) 4 May 20/4 (caption) The riverside habitat of the water shrew is under threat from poor waterway management.
water shrew-mouse n. now rare = water shrew n. [ < water n. + shrewmouse n., after French musaraigne d'eau (L. J. M. Daubenton 1762, in Hist. de l'Acad. royale des sci. 211).]
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the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > [noun] > order Insectivora > family Soricidae > genus Neomys (water-shrew)
water shrew-mouse1764
blind-mouse1770
water shrew1771
pig mouse1905
1764 Gentleman's Mag. Aug. 376/2 The water Shrew-mouse,..which M. Daubenton discovered in Burgundy, is called by the inhabitants the Water-mouse, and is found on the banks of the rivers,..and frequently swimming about in the water.
1801 Lady's Mag. July 347/1 The water shrew mice are usually taken at the head of fountains or springs.
1909 D. English Some Smaller Brit. Mammals 74 The natural food of the Water Shrew-mouse consists, I think, mainly of mollusca.
water shrimp n. now rare any of various shrimplike crustaceans living in fresh water; esp. an amphipod of the genus Gammarus or family Gammaridae, as the common European Gammarus pulex (now usually called freshwater shrimp).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Crustacea > [noun] > subclass Malacostraca > division Thoracostraca > order Decapoda > suborder Macrura > miscellaneous or unspecified types of shrimp
beard1611
shrimplet1688
garnel1694
water shrimp1745
pandle1746
brine-shrimp1836
brine-worm1836
squilloid1852
well shrimp1853
glass-crab1855
shrimp1856
snapping shrimp1941
1745 W. Ellis Agric. Improv'd I. June xi. 72 Of the Water-shrimp.—I have seen a Sort of Insect, in stagnate Waters, to swim on his Side in a swift Motion, almost in Shape like a Sea-shrimp, very transparent.
1883 G. C. Davies Norfolk Broads iii. 21 The water-shrimp is the favourite bait for them [sc. perch].
1941 J. Hux UOM V. 158 In Lake Baikal the water-shrimps of the sandhopper family exist in numerous species unknown elsewhere.
2009 O. Giere Meiobenthology (ed. 2) v. 179 Cladocerans..and ostracods..do have some traits in common. In both the ‘water fleas’ and the ‘water shrimps’, a short body of only a few segments is enclosed in two protective shells.
water skater n. a pond skater (family Gerridae); = water strider n.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > family Gerridae > member of (pond-skater)
water skater1858
water strider1888
pond skater1895
water skeeter1900
strider1974
1858 Atlantic Monthly Sept. 465/1 The waterskater (Gerris) pauses on the surface.., casting on the shallow bottom the odd shadow of his feet.
1941 J. Steinbeck & E. F. Ricketts Sea of Cortez xvi. 164 We had sat beside the little pool and watched..the water-skaters.
2000 Denver Post 15 Oct. a42/1 Some are designed to crawl along the rocks, others to swim through the water or even, like the water skaters, to walk on water.
water skeeter n. North American = water skater n. [Apparently an alteration of water skater n., after skeeter n.1]
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > family Gerridae > member of (pond-skater)
water skater1858
water strider1888
pond skater1895
water skeeter1900
strider1974
1900 Cosmopolitan July 251/1 We saw Doctor McDowell..go up the course, resembling in his outrigger nothing so much as that queer insect called by the negroes in the South the ‘water-skeeter’.
1976 J. Hodgins in M. Atwood & R. Weaver Oxf. Bk. Canad. Short Stories (1986) 310 The water..back-eddies into little bays where cattail and bracken grow and where water-skeeters walk on their own reflection.
2012 S. Franson Secret Lives Chickens iii. 46 Spawning fish circled and rested in the pools..as they headed upstream, water skeeters darted across its surface, [and] other insects swam in it.
water slater n. a water louse (genus Asellus).
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1869 W. S. Dallas tr. F. Müller Facts & Arguments for Darwin viii. 71 (note) Leydig has compared this foliaceous appendage of the Water Slaters [Ger. Wasserasseln] with the ‘green gland’..of other crustacea.
1924 J. A. Thomson Sci. Old & New viii. 44 When small freshwater crustaceans, such as ‘screws’ (Gammarus) and ‘water-slaters’ (Asellus), are kept for a long time in darkness, they become very pale.
2006 D. Gilpin Lobsters, Crabs & Other Crustaceans 35 Unlike most water creatures, water slaters are poor swimmers.
water snail n. any of various gastropod molluscs, esp. pulmonate snails, that live in fresh or (rarely) salt water; cf. land-snail n. at land n.1 Compounds 2b(b), sea-snail n. 1.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > class Gastropoda > [noun] > order Pulmonifera > Inoperculata > family Limnaeidae or Planorbidae > member of
water snail1548
ramshorn snail1778
physa1834
mud snail1890
trumpet-snail1901
1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. E.iijv Therfore it [sc. Medica] maye be called in englishe horned Clauer or snail Trifoly because the coddes are so wrythen in agayne as a water snayle or saynte corniliusses horne.
1655 T. Moffett & C. Bennet Healths Improvem. xii. 109 Water-rails..feed upon water-snails and water-flies.
1731 G. Medley tr. P. Kolb Present State Cape Good-Hope II. 212 There is a Sort of Water-Snails at the Cape, which the Europeans there call Screw-Snails.
1835–6 Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. I. 626/1 Examining the young of the viviparous water-snail.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) I. xx. 602 The larval stages [of the fluke-worm] are parasitic in the small water-snail (Limnaea truncatula).
2007 L. Bardsley Wildlife Pond Handbk. (new ed.) 58/2 Water snails are among the best grazing animals in ponds.
† water-softling n. Obsolete rare a marine invertebrate (not identified; perhaps a spider crab (cf. sea spider n. 1a), or other crab after moulting).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Pycnogonida or Pantopoda > [noun] > member of (sea-spider)
sea-crayfish1601
water-softling1656
pycnogonoid1852
pycnogon1853
pycnogonid1869
sea spider1873
nobody-crab1876
pantopod1887
1656 tr. J. A. Comenius Latinæ Linguæ Janua Reserata: Gate Lat. Tongue Unlocked xvii. §158 There are also Sea-spiders, having neither bloud, nor fat, nor prickles, (they call them Water-softlings [L. mollia aquatilia]).
water stick-insect n. any of various predatory heteropteran water bugs of the genus Ranatra and related genera (family Nepidae), resembling the water scorpion but having a very long and slender body.
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1913 R. Lulham Introd. Zool. xix. 279 Closely allied to the Water Scorpion is the Water Stick Insect or Stick Scorpion (Ranatra linearis).
1953 H. Mellanby Animal Life in Fresh Water (ed. 5) viii. 145 The other genus Ranatra (sometimes called the water-stick insect) is not so common as Nepa.
2006 N. Baker Nick Baker's Bug Bk. (new ed.) 122/2 One of the highlights..is to..notice one of the plant stems get up and start walking off. This is the Water stick-insect.
water strider n. chiefly U.S. a pond skater (family Gerridae); (also) (in full broad-shouldered water strider) a water cricket (family Veliidae).
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [noun] > division Exopterygota or Hemimetabola > order Hemiptera > suborder Heteroptera > family Gerridae > member of (pond-skater)
water skater1858
water strider1888
pond skater1895
water skeeter1900
strider1974
1888 J. H. Comstock Introd. Entomol. vii. 193 The water-striders prefer quiet waters.
1935 P. S. Welch Limnol. vi. 155 Those forms most commonly associated with the upper surface of the film..are : (1) water striders (Gerridae); (2) broad-shouldered water striders (Veliidae); [etc.].
2006 J. T. Costa Other Insect Societies xii. 352 Water striders and relatives are water surface specialists.
waterthrush n. †(a) the spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius (obsolete); (b) U.S. either of the two large migratory warblers constituting the North American genus Parkesia, P. noveboracensis and P. motacilla (family Parulidae), which have brown upperparts and streaked underparts and live in the vicinity of water; (c) a dipper (genus Cinclus) (now rare).The identity of the bird in quot. 1668 is uncertain. [Compare German Wasserdrossel spotted sandpiper, dipper (1555 in Gesner as Wassertrostlen (plural), apparently denoting the dipper) and post-classical Latin turdus aquaticus dipper (1555 in Gesner, or earlier), spotted sandpiper (1760 in Brisson). Compare also French grive d'eau spotted sandpiper (1781 in Buffon; compare quot. 1793). With use with reference to the dipper compare water ouzel n.]
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Cinclidae > cinclus aquaticus (dipper)
dippera1425
water ouzel1622
waterthrush1668
water crake1676
water blackbird1678
piet1804
water crow1804
water-piet1804
water cock1806
ducker1837
dipper-bird1894
the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > arboreal families > family Parulidae (wood warbler) > [noun] > genus Seiurus (water-thrush)
water-wagtail1759
waterthrush1811
ovenbird1831
accentor1841
water waga1866
wagtail1869
wagtail-warbler1884
1668 W. Charleton Onomasticon Zoicon 108 Trynga..the Water-Thrush.
1793 J. Leslie tr. Comte de Buffon Nat. Hist. Birds VIII. 132 (heading) The Water-thrush. La grive d'eau. Buff.
1811 A. Wilson Amer. Ornithol. III. 67 The Water Thrush is six inches long..; the whole upper parts are of a uniform and very dark olive.
1831 H. McMurtrie tr. G. Cuvier Animal Kingdom I. 272 Cinclus, Bechst... or the Water-Thrushes.
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 30 Dipper... So called from its diving propensities, which, combined with the dark back, give it the names..Water blackbird... Water crow... Water thrush (Cornwall).
1921 F. S. Mathews Field Bk. Wild Birds & their Music (rev. ed.) 302 The song of the Louisiana Water-thrush is extraordinarily wild and reverberant.
2004 Bird Watch Canada Winter 15/3 The Lincoln's Sparrow.., Common Yellowthroat, and Northern Waterthrush are also fairly well represented at the banding station.
water tick n. rare †(a) a biting or bloodsucking parasite found in marshy areas (probably the larva of a trombiculid mite) (obsolete rare); (b) = water mite n.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Arachnida > [noun] > order Aranea > suborder Labidognatha or Dipneumones > member of family Pisauridae
water spider1702
water mite1763
water tick1763
raft spider1865
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > [noun] > member of > defined by habitat or breeding place > aquatic insect
water spider1547
water mite1763
water tick1763
1763 R. Brookes New Syst. Nat. Hist. IV. xvi. 319 The sea Tick, or rather the water Tick, is so called, for its being common in marshes near the water side.
?1870 P. M. Duncan Transformations Insects xvi. 436 The Hydrachnidæ, or water ticks or mites, are spiders.
1989 J. Cole Fishing Came First 54 Water ticks, shrimp, and, I'm certain, other small forms of marine protein feed this imposing fish.
water tiger n. (a) any of various carnivorous South American mammals associated with water; esp. the giant otter, Pteronura brasiliensis; (b) any of various large predatory water beetles of the genus Dytiscus or family Dytiscidae; a larva of such a beetle.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > order Coleoptera or beetles and weevils > [noun] > Adephaga (carnivorous beetles) > Hydradephaga (aquatic) > member of family Dytiscidae (mud-dweller)
water tiger1774
mud dweller1881
1774 T. Falkner Descr. Patagonia ii. 62 They had seen this water tiger several times.
1889 M. E. Bamford Up & down Brooks 59 Those beetles known as the Water-tigers, or Dytiscidæ.
1944 R. Matheson Entomol. for Introd. Courses xv. 330 The larvae of Dytiscidae are frequently called ‘water tigers’ on account of their ferocity.
1995 Radio Times 18 Feb. 59/3 Also known as the water tiger or river wolf, the South American giant otter is the largest and rarest of its kind.
water toad n. any of various toads that live in water rather than on land; cf. land-toad n. at land n.1 Compounds 2b(a).
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1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) 1068 In the same fashion they [sc. Spiders] enter the lists with land and water Toads [L. cum bufonibus & rubetis], and kill them in single fight.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VII. 106 Of this animal there are several varieties; such as the Water and the Land Toad... The water toad is not so large as the other.
1896 Proc. Zool. Soc. 5 May 595 One of the females of the Surinam Water-Toad..with her back covered with eggs.
1923 Illustr. London News 22 Sept. 526/3 One of these is the Water-Toad (Bufo agua) of Mexico and the Argentine.
2012 Z. Meeran Tanuki Ichiban 82 Once, entering from the deck she had seen a mongoose following the passage of a water toad in the pond.
water tortoise n. now rare any of various freshwater turtles or terrapins of the families Emydidae and Pelomedusidae; esp. the helmeted turtle or marsh terrapin, Pelomedusa subrufa, of Africa.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Chelonia (turtles and tortoises) > [noun] > suborder Pleurodira > member of family Pelomedusidae (water tortoise)
water tortoise1658
1658 J. Rowland Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) 793 There are found great store of these in India, especially of the Water-tortoises.
1835 A. Smith Diary 11 Mar. (1939) I. 309 Water has been getting more scarce every year. They eat the water tortoise.
1911 State Dec. 643 There were berg tortoises, and vlakte tortoises and zandkruipers and even water tortoises.
1974 Standard Encycl. Southern Afr. X. 527/1 In Southern Africa there are both land and water tortoises.
water-tyrant n. any of several tyrant flycatchers, esp. of the genera Fluvicola and Ochthornis, which live on marshes and riversides in Central and South America.
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1912 Ld. Brabourne & C. Chubb Birds S. Amer. I. 264 Fluvicola. . . pica. . . White-shouldered Water-Tyrant.
1946 Auk 63 374 Fluvicola pica pica (Boddaert), White-shouldered Water-tyrant.—Often noted from the road which borders the Caroni Swamp.
2010 A. Davies in A. Davies & R. Miller Biggest Twitch i. 47 There was just enough light for a final unexpected burst, with Pied Water-Tyrant, Pacific Hornero and Pacific Parrotlet all appearing.
water viper n. U.S. the water moccasin, Agkistrodon piscivorus.
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the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > [noun] > member of (snake) > aquatic
water addereOE
rinatrixa1398
water snake1527
water serpent1530
sea-adder1601
hydra1608
sea-serpent1672
water viper1737
sea-snake1827
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > subfamily Crotalinae > genus Agkistrodon > agkistrodon piscivorus (moccasin)
water rattlesnake1737
water viper1737
moccasin snake1765
water moccasin1821
1737 Dr. Mortimer in Philos. Trans. 1735–6 (Royal Soc.) 39 254 Vipera Aquatica: The Water Viper. These Serpents are commonly found hanging on Branches of Trees, which lean over Rivers.
1803 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. III. 96 The Water Viper..is a large species, called in Carolina and some other parts of America the Water Rattle-Snake.
1899 Wide World Mag. May 198/1 The water viper eats fish.
2004 L. Corin Everyday Psychokillers 93 The pond was home to the thickest, blackest, most white-mouthed..water vipers I ever saw.
water weasel n. now chiefly U.S. a mustelid mammal that hunts in water; esp. an otter.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Mustelidae (weasel, marten, otter, or badger) > [noun] > genus Lutra (otter)
ottereOE
badger1591
river-dog1610
water weasel1611
dog-fisher1655
water dog1655
river otter1780
land otter1844
water wolf1907
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Belette An Otter, or water Weesill.
1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales II. 162 No animal is so hard-biting as an otter... None but a very varmint dog..will face one of these water-weazels a second time.
1912 Harper's Mon. Mag. Dec. 59/2 The weasel is a land mink, or, rather, the mink is a water weasel.
2002 D. Dekker Wildlife Adventures in Canad. West xxi. 21 The five-toed foot prints were grouped together in jump patterns typical of this low-slung water weasel [sc. the otter].
water wolf n. a predatory aquatic or semiaquatic animal; esp. a pike (pike n.3 a). [ < water n. + wolf n., after post-classical Latin lupus aquaticus pike (compare lupus n.); compare German Wasserwolf pike (in Middle High German as wazzerwolf), otter (late 18th cent. or earlier).]
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the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > order Salmoniformes (salmon or trout) > family Esocidae (pikes) > [noun] > esox lucius (true pike)
hakedeOE
pike1314
ged1324
water wolfa1398
luce14..
pike fish1494
lucetc1550
wolf1555
lucern1615
river wolf1655
jack fish1659
luscio1680
lupus1706
pickerel1709
esox1774
fresh-water shark1799
pickering1842
northern1950
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Mustelidae (weasel, marten, otter, or badger) > [noun] > genus Lutra (otter)
ottereOE
badger1591
river-dog1610
water weasel1611
dog-fisher1655
water dog1655
river otter1780
land otter1844
water wolf1907
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. i. 1099 He..holdeþ þe mete leste þe water waisshe it soone out of here mowþe, as it fareþ in water wolues [L. lupis aquaticis] þat beþ lucyes.
1606 S. Gardiner Bk. Angling 26 Sanguinarie souldiers, the Pike and water-wolues of the Ocean of this worlde.
1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake II. x. 159 (note) Innumerable eels, great water-wolves and pickerel, perches, roaches, [etc.].
1907 Athenæum 10 Aug. 158/2 The poor otter, against which, as the ‘water-wolf’, ruthless war is waged.
2010 D. Bennet & T. Tiner Compl. Up North 203 The water wolves are almost revered for presenting the greatest of freshwater fishing challenges.
C9.
a. Designating plants that live in or by water, or parts of such plants; forming names of such plants.Recorded earliest in waterwort n. See also watercress n., water grass n., water lily n., water plantain n., water-weed n., etc.; also water plant n. 1.
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OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) xlviii. 94 Gyf swylas fæmnum derigen genim ðas wyrte þe man gallitricum & oðrum naman wæterwyrt nemneð.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. xxxi. 928 And among water schrobbis [L. inter aquaticos frutices] reede is chief.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 36 Byllerne, watyr herbe, berula.
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. cci. 142 A water herbe which fleeteth upon the water.
1586 Praise of Musicke i. 18 Shee was deliuered by them from that rusticke paramoure by transforming her into water reedes.
1634 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World (new ed.) I. xvi. xxxvi. 481 (heading) Of Reeds, Canes, and other water shrubs.
1748 Gentleman's Mag. Jan. 16/2 The people [of Sweden] are often by famine reduced to feed on the roots of water-rushes.
1787 W. Withering Bot. Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 2) I. 131 Montia Fontana..Small Water Chickweed, or Purslane.
1803 Philos. Mag. 16 14 If the pedicle of the water-ranunculus has pores, while its stem is deprived of them, it is because it ought to live in the air, and not because it has lived there.
1871 D. G. Rossetti Staff & Scrip in Poems vii Like water-reeds the poise Of her soft body, dainty thin.
1897 H. G. Wells War of Worlds xxi, in Pearson's Mag. Nov. 567/1 Its swiftly growing and Titanic water-fronds speedily choked both these rivers.
2003 M. Richardson in S. M. Low & D. Lawrence-Zúñiga Anthropol. Space & Place ii. 79 Lush water herbs around the fountain contrast with a cluster of spinous shrubs and palms planted near a walkway.
b.
water agrimony n. (a) the hemp agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum, of Europe (now rare); (b) any of several bur-marigolds (genus Bidens), esp. B. tripartita, widespread in the northern hemisphere.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Compositae (composite plants) > [noun] > bur-marigold
agrimony1578
water agrimony1597
black jack1876
bur-marigold1879
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Compositae (composite plants) > [noun] > hemp-agrimony
holy ropec1485
eupatory1542
agrimony1578
Eupatorium1578
bastard hemp1597
water agrimony1597
hemp-agrimony1760
hempweed1796
joe-pye weed1818
trumpet-weed1830
feverwort1836
gravel-root-
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. ccxxix. 574 Water Hempe, or water Agrimonie, is seldome founde in hot regions for which cause it is called Eupatorium Cannabinum fœmina Septentrionalium.
1652 tr. N. Fonteyn Womans Doctour vi. 100 Take the last named five roots... The leaves of wormewood, Water Agrimony, Maidenhaire, of each a handful.
1822 Hist. & Antiq. Ludlow 240 Bidens cernua, Water Agrimony.
1870 M. Robinson New Family Herbal (new ed.) 16 (heading) Agrimony.–Water Agrimony. Eupatorium Canabinum.
1902 Living Age 15 277 The stream was quite grown over with aquatic plants, topped with figwort, huge water agrimony with its masses of powdery flesh-colored blooms, creamy meadow-sweet, [etc.].
2010 M. Pennacchio et al. Uses & Abuses Plant-derived Smoke 55 Bidens tripartita..water agrimony. The flower heads, when burned give off a pleasant aromatic smoke.
water aloe n. (also †water aloes) water soldier, Stratiotes aloides.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > water-soldier
sengreenc1000
knight's milfoil1578
knight's pondwort1578
knight's water-sengreen1578
freshwater soldier1597
water soldier1640
water aloe1701
knight wort-
knight woundwort-
1701 R. Morden New Descr. & State of Eng. 160 The Plants that grow naturally in this County are..Spanish Catchfly; Night-flowering Campion; Water Aloe; [etc.].
1808 J. R. Coxe Philadelphia Med. Dict. at Aloe Aloe palustris, water aloes, or fresh water soldiers.
1908 R. J. Farrer Alpines & Bog-plants xiii. 271 Rare in the marshes of East Anglia is the water-Aloe, Stratiotes aloeides, exactly like a thorny, submerged aloe, with spikes of whitish flowers.
2008 J. Arditti Micropropagation Orchids (ed. 2) i. 58 The first protoplast preparation were obtained in 1892 through surgical release from plasmolyzed cells of water aloe, Stratiotes aloides.
water archer n. an arrowhead (genus Sagittaria), esp. S. sagittifolia of Eurasia.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. xc. 337 Sagittaria may be called in English the water Archer, or Arrow heade.
1870 Florist & Pomologist Apr. 77 On swampy ground..we meet with an old acquaintance, the Water Archer.
1940 R. Gibbings Sweet Thames run Softly iv. 30 In the Far East the water-archer or arrowhead grows in abundance, and is even cultivated for the food value of its tuberous roots.
1996 Chiltern Seeds Catal. 209 Arrowhead, Water Archer. As must be obvious from its name, this rather attractive, native wild flower..has arrow-shaped leaves.
water arum n. a wetland plant with heart-shaped leaves, a white spathe, and green spadix, Calla palustris (family Araceae), found in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere; also called wild calla.
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1728 R. Bradley Dict. Botanicum at Arum There is a Sort of Water Arum in Holland, with white Flowers, which will grow very well in Water Tubs.
1868 R. H. Davis Dallas Galbraith xxiii. 140 He held up a bunch of red maple buds and the pale emerald cups of the water-arum for her to see.
2003 Horticulture Mar. 64/1 At one extreme is shallow standing water, hosting watercress, horsetail, water arum, and pickerel weed.
water ash n. (a) any of several North American ash trees typically growing in swamps or on riverbanks, esp. Fraxinus caroliniana, found from Texas to Virginia; (b) the ash-leaved maple (or box elder), Acer negundo (rare).
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > ash and allies > [noun]
ashc700
fraynec1325
wood-browna1400
wild ash1552
white ash1578
manna tree1665
black ash1673
white ash1683
water ash1709
manna ash1715
hoop-ash1763
red ash1773
shrew-ash1776
blue ash1783
swamp ash1794
weeping ash1807
green ash1810
cockscomb ash1850
Oregon ash1857
1709 J. Lawson New Voy. Carolina 93 The Water-Ash is brittle. The Bark is Food for the Bevers.
1819 E. Dana Geogr. Sketches 171 The soil is..thickly covered with timber; such as various species of oak and water ash.
1906 Curiosity Shop (Amer. Lumberman) iii. 103 Acer negundo, or box elder, is known also as ash leaf maple,..stinking ash, sugar ash and water ash.
1958 G. A. Petrides Field Guide Trees & Shrubs 35 Water Ash, Fraxinus caroliniana... A small tree of southern swamps.
2014 G. Nelson et al. Trees of Eastern N. Amer. 456 Carolina ash, Fraxinus caroliniana... A.k.a. Pop ash, Water ash.
water avens n. (also occasionally water aven) a herbaceous plant with nodding reddish flowers, Geum rivale (family Rosaceae), which grows in bogs and wet grassland in much of the northern hemisphere.
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1690 J. Ray Synopsis Methodica Stirpium Brit. 89 Purple Mountain Avens, or Water Avens.
1832 E. Bulwer-Lytton Eugene Aram I. i. vi. 95 The common enchanter's night-shade, the silver weed, and the water-aven.
1972 R. Adams Watership Down xxxiii. 257 In places it was almost bog. Marsh sedge grew there,..and the drooping water-avens.
2008 Western Morning News (Plymouth) (Nexis) 6 June 17 Water avens..is widespread along some ditches and wet places. It has nodding, orange-pink flowers.
water bean n. rare †(a) common brooklime, Veronica beccabunga (obsolete); (b) a lotus (genus Nelumbo: see Nelumbo n.) (so called with reference to the round seeds of the plants).
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > water-lilies
edockec1000
water rose?a1300
mead-flower?a1350
water beanc1400
water coltsfoot14..
nenuphar?a1425
water lily?a1425
lotec1487
lotusc1487
nymphaea1543
water-can1622
can-dock1661
lotus flower1710
pond lily1748
Indian lotus1797
padma1799
Nuphar1822
beaver-root1832
splatterdock1832
frog-lily1845
brandy-bottle1846
Victoria1846
water nymph1848
lotus lily1857
cow-lily1862
pool lily1902
c1400 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 113 [Fabaria] waterbene.
1846 J. Lindley Veg. Kingdom 414 Nelumbiaceæ. Water Beans.
1921 Winston's Encycl. VII. at Nelumbium The yellow water-bean of the southern United States, has starchy rhizomes, with tubers like those of the sweet potato.
2005 R. Binney Love, Luck & Lessons for Life 35 The sacred lotus of the Hindus is a different plant, Nelumbo sp, a pink-petalled water bean.
water beech n. North American either of two North American trees often found growing near water, the American plane, Platanus occidentalis, and the American hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > plane-trees > [noun]
platanusOE
planea1382
platana1382
plane treea1425
platan treea1425
plantain1535
plane1562
dwarf plane tree1578
chenar1638
buttonwood1670
platanus tree1670
Norway maple1731
water beech1735
American plane1781
sycamore1814
buttonball1818
London plane1860
sycamore-tree1872
1735 P. Collinson Let. 16 Aug. in J. Bartram Corr. (1992) 12 The Water Beach or Buttonwood Is known Here [sc. in England] as the Western Plane.
1896 Garden & Forest 23 Sept. 385/2 Carpinus caroliniana.—The American Hornbeam, in some places called the Blue Beech or Water Beech, is found along the banks of streams from the Dominion of Canada to Florida.
1905 Oölogist 22 88/2 All the way it seemed heavily wooded with Sycamores and water beeches, with here and there an oak.
2007 Trail Guide Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council) (ed. 3) 183 American hornbeam is a member of the birch family, but is also called water beech because it prefers moist soil.
water betony n. = water figwort n.The plant in quot. c1400 is of uncertain identity.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Scrophulariaceae (figwort and allies) > [noun] > figwort and allies
brownwortc1000
scrophularyc1400
water betonyc1400
bishop-leaves1597
fig-wort1597
kernel-wort1597
pilewort1640
scrophularia1663
water figwort1670
rose noble1808
snake's head1834
salpiglossid1846
salt-rheum weed1846
Cornish money-wort1848
turtle-head1857
scrophulariad1866
fiddlewood1878–86
stinking Christopher1878
stinkwort1890
c1400 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 34 [Argentilla] water betoyne.
1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. C.iv Clymenum of Dioscorides, is water Betonie as I suppose called of some Herbaries Scrofularia maior.
1782 W. Curtis Short Hist. Brown-tail Moth 6 Others..as the Phalæna Verbasci, or Water Betony Moth, which appears to be equally fond of the Mullein and Water Betony.
1838 G. Don Gen. Hist. Dichlamydeous Plants IV. 510 The plant is called Water Betony, Brownwort, and Bishop leaves.
2000 J. Harris Blackberry Wine (2001) xxi. 109 Bishop's leaves—the Yorkshire name for water betony—had been a common ingredient for Joe's protection sachets.
water blinks n. a widely distributed herbaceous plant of freshwater pools and wet meadows, Montia fontana (family Portulacaceae), having weak, often reddish stems, pairs of opposite leaves, and small white flowers (cf. blinks n. 2).
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1794 J. Sibthorp Flora Oxoniensis 53 Water Blinks. Wet Places—Banks of Springs.
1824 J. E. Smith Eng. Flora I. 187 M[ontia] fontana. Water Blinks.
1964 E. Salisbury Weeds & Aliens (ed. 2) iii. 65 Two American aliens..are allied to the British Water Blinks and are members of the genus Montia.
2013 Freshwater Biol. 58 175/2 Each aquarium contained..pre-washed strands of the macrophyte ‘Water Blinks’ Montia fontana, which was common in several collection sites.
water-blob n. English regional marsh marigold, Caltha palustris (also called horse-blob, mareblob, May-blob); (also) the rounded flower of this or of any of several other aquatic or moisture-loving plants.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > buttercup and allied flowers > marsh marigold
kingcup1538
petty nenuphar1548
bassinet1578
brave celandine1578
marsh marigold1578
boots1597
caltha1599
mareblob1649
water boot1665
horse-blob1821
water-blob1821
molly-blob1854
May-blob1863
drunkard1886
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel I. 77 And sigh with anxious, eager dream, For water-blobs amid the stream.
1857 London Q. Rev. Jan. 4/2 The drowking water-blob hangs its head.
1891 Wilts. Archæol. & Nat. Hist. Mag. 26 91 Blobbs, Water Blobs, blossoms of Nuphar lutea.
1913 D. H. Lawrence Sons & Lovers xi. 356 Then she sat on the bank with her hands full of flowers, mostly golden water-blobs.
2006 A. Titchmarsh Nobbut a Lad 149 All my flowers—the vetches and the hawkbits, the fox and cubs and the evergreen alkanet, the cow parsley and the water blobs—all smelled of fresh bread.
water buttercup n. (a) any of various plants of the genus Ranunculus that grow in or near water (= water-crowfoot n.); (b) English regional marsh marigold, Caltha palustris (rare).
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > buttercup and allied flowers > allied flowers
githa1382
nigellaa1398
gollana1400
pilewort?a1425
gold-knop1538
fig-wort1548
lucken gowan1548
melanthion1559
gold crap1571
bachelor's buttons1578
celandine1578
gold cup1578
Goldilocks1578
nigel1578
nigelweed1578
troll flower1578
peppergrass1587
golden cup1589
globe crowfoot1597
globeflower1597
winter aconite1597
kiss-me-twice-before-I-rise1664
devil-in-a-bush1722
globe ranunculus1731
turban1760
love-in-a-mist1787
love-in-a-puzzle1824
fair-grass1825
water buttercup1831
golden knobs1835
ficary1848
New Year's gift1856
bishop wort1863
fennel-flower1863
golden ball1875
1831 Catal. Plants in E. Baldwin Ann. Yale Coll. App. vi. 293 Ranunculus..fluviatilis..Water-Butter-cup.
1870 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Oct. 469/2 Those long sweeping rushy stalks which bear the pretty white blossom called the water-buttercup.
1905 Eng. Dial. Dict. VI. 402/1 [Oxf.] Teacher says we are not to call them water-buttercups; their proper name is marsh-marigold.
2001 Water Gardening Oct. 32/2 The water buttercup..is unusual as it has two types of foliage.
water cabbage n. (a) any of several water lilies, esp. the yellow water lily, Nuphar lutea (now rare); (b) water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes.
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1881 G. D. Leslie Our River vii. 153 Water-lilies... the common yellow sort... I have heard them called by young people water cabbages.
1917 U.S. Dept. Agric. Bull. 465 36 True waterlilies of the United States... Among their vernacular names are pondlily, water cabbage, and alligator blankets.
1922 A. Chapman Savage Sudan xix. 257 Down the main stream came drifting along the perky little water-cabbages.
2011 Weekend Post (Cairns, Queensland) (Nexis) 8 Oct. (Weekender section) 14 The pond is home to swordtails, guppies and water cabbages.
water calla n. the water arum, Calla palustris.
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1861 E. A. Maling Flowers & Foliage In-door Plant Cases 168 The red-veined, spreading leaves of the tuberous-rooted Begonias, the tall cold leaf of the Arum, or water Calla.
1923 M. A. Commons Log of Tanager Hill (1938) 15 The hawthorne trees and the spireas were like banks of snow; pink moccasin flowers and the water calla were in bloom in the Glen.
2003 E. Winner World Shaman 11 Mohan set a fresh egg on the altar near the oil lamp and water callas.
water caltrop n. (also water caltrops) †(a) a pondweed (genus Potamogeton) (obsolete); (b) any of the floating aquatic plants constituting the genus Trapa (family Lythraceae), native to warm temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and producing a hard nut with spiky projections, the kernel of which is edible; also called water chestnut, water nut, saligot, and ling.The genus Trapa is now often considered to consist of a single polymorphic species, T. natans.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > pondweed
pondweed1578
water spike1578
water caltrop1597
potamogeton1601
frog's lettuce1633
pickerel weed1653
pondweed1706
flatter-dock1820
tench-weeda1825
fish-leaves1886
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular vegetables > [noun] > stalk vegetables > water-chestnut > seed of
caltrop1597
water caltrop1597
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 676 Water Caltrops hath long slender stalkes, growing vp and rising from the bottome of the water.
1633 T. Johnson Gerard's Herball (new ed.) ii. 824 Small water Caltrops, or Frogs-lettuce.
1681 N. Grew Musæum Regalis Societatis ii. §iii. ii. 232 The Water-Caltrop. Tribulus aquaticus.
1762 W. Hudson Flora Anglica 61 Potamogeton [crispum].., the greater Walter-caltrops... Potamogeton [serratum].., the lesser Water-caltrops, or Frog's-lettuce.
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. at Trapa The European species of Trapa..is commonly called the Water Caltrops.
2001 N. Jones Rough Guide Trav. Health ii. 215 Humans are infected by eating raw water plants (eg water chestnuts or water caltrop) contaminated by larval cysts.
† water cat's-tail n. Obsolete common reedmace, Typha latifolia (= cat's tail n. 2b).
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > a grass or grasses > reedy or aquatic grasses > [noun] > bulrush or club-rush
bulrushc1440
holrushc1440
glagol1480
cat's tail1548
reedmace1548
Typha1548
sun's brow1567
marsh beetle1578
marsh pestle1578
mat-rush1578
pole rush1578
water torch1578
water cat's-tail1597
ditch-down1611
doda1661
club-rush1677
deer-hair1777
club-grass1787
draw-ling1795
raupo1823
tule1837
boulder1847
blackheads1850
cat-o'-nine-tails1858
flax-tail1861
bull-sedge1879
mace reed1901
totora1936
1597 J. Gerard Herball i. lvi. 78 On the top of the stalke commeth foorth a spike or eare like the water Cats Taile.
1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) i. xiv. 969 The eyes are black, as the horns are also, which are swoln like water-cats-tails.
water chestnut n. (a) the edible nut of water caltrop (genus Trapa); the plant itself; also called water nut; (b) (also Chinese water chestnut) the edible corm of a sedge of eastern Asia, Eleocharis dulcis, which is commonly used in Chinese cooking; the plant itself. [With sense (a) compare Dutch water-kastanje (1581), German Wasserkastanie (1586).]
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the world > food and drink > food > fruit and vegetables > vegetables > stalk vegetables > [noun] > water-chestnut
water nut1523
saligot1578
water chestnut1597
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular vegetables > [noun] > stalk vegetables > water-chestnut
water nut1523
saligot1578
water chestnut1597
ling1860
Jesuits' nut1866
water caltrops1866
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 676 Most do call the fruite of this Caltrops, Castaneæ aquatiles, or water Chesnuts.
1813 J. M. Good et al. Pantologia at China They cultivate even the bottom of their waters, the beds of their lakes, ponds, and rivulets, producing crops unknown to us, particularly of the pitsi, or water-chesnut.
1870 Pharmaceut. Jrnl. & Trans. 13 Aug. 125/1 The name of ‘water chestnuts’ has been applied to the fruits of several species of Trapa.
1919 Amer. Cookery 24 256/2 5 Chinese water chestnuts, sliced.
1958 Jrnl. Amer. Water Works Assoc. 50 941/2 The European water chestnut or water-nut..has invaded the Chesapeake area.
2012 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 7 Nov. a10/1 (caption) Kashmiri women walked over marshy lands..to collect water chestnuts.
water chickweed n. (originally) any of various small, often straggling or decumbent herbaceous plants of wet or damp habitats; (in later use) spec. Myosoton aquaticum (family Caryophyllaceae), a white-flowered perennial of temperate Eurasia.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1633 T. Johnson Gerard's Herball (new ed.) ii. cxcii. 614 To these water Chickweeds may fitly be added those two which I mentioned and figured in my last iournall.
1754 R. Brookes Introd. Physic & Surg. 223 Herbs of these Kinds are Enchanter's Nightshade, Water-wort or Star-headed Water Chickweed, Water Aloe or fresh Water Soldier, the least white Water Lilly or Frog-bit, double flowered sweet Frog-bit.
1841 W. A. Leighton Flora of Shropshire 198 M[alachium] aquaticum, Fries. Water Chickweed.
1924 W. H. Fitch et al. Illustr. Brit. Flora (ed. 5) 44 Montia fontana L. Blinks, water chickweed.
2006 tr. M. Eppinger & H. Hofmann Field Guide Wild Flowers Brit. & Europe 78 Water Chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum) can be found on banks and in damp habitats.
water clover adj. [ < water n. + clover n.; in sense (a) after German Wasserklee (18th cent. or earlier); compare earlier water trefoil n.] (a) the bog bean, Menyanthes trifoliata; (b) an aquatic fern of the genus Marsilea (family Marsileaceae), members of which have four clover-like leaflets; also called pepperwort.
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1801 J. A. Fahrenkrüger Bailey's Dict. Eng.-German & German-Eng. (new ed.) II. 631/1 Wasserklee, m. water-clover.
1864 Horticulturist 255/1 The leaves much resemble clover, whence the name ‘water-clover’.
1885 Catal. Plants Metrop. Gardens 126 Marsilea... Water Clover.
1908 Med. Standard 31 630 If this fails. he advises menyanthes, or water clover, prepared as follows.
1956 B. Cobb Field Guide to Ferns (1963) 178 Genus Marsilea. Water Shamrock (Water Clover; Pepperwort)... Sporocarps in singles or pairs near roots..; size of peppercorn.
2014 Los Angeles Times (Nexis) 24 May e10 The adjacent ‘regeneration zone’..contains aquatic plants such as calla lilies, lotus, miniature cattails, water chestnut, water clover and taro.
water-crowfoot n. any of various plants of the genus Ranunculus (family Ranunculaceae) that grow in or near water, typically having thread-like submerged leaves, divided floating leaves, and white flowers (in later use also with distinguishing word).
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a1500 Agnus Castus (Laud) (1950) 202 (MED) Sanicle..haþ [leues] lich to watercrowfot.
?1550 H. Llwyd tr. Pope John XXI Treasury of Healthe sig. I.v Watercrowfote stamped wyth crommes of bread and a plaster made therof taketh awaye the heate of the stomake.
1796 W. Withering Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 3) I. 7 Thus the leaves of the Ranunculus aquatilis, or Water Crowfoot, growing beneath the surface of the water, are much more divided than those which grow above the surface.
1902 C. J. Cornish Naturalist on Thames 14 In the shallows grow water-crowfoot, with waving green hair under water.
2010 Independent 8 June (Viewspaper section) 13/2 At various intervals along Harrison's stretch [of the Itchen], he and volunteers have erected cages to protect river water-crowfoot, an aquatic species of buttercup that produces beautiful white flowers but which is food for the booming swan population.
water dropwort n. any of the umbelliferous plants constituting the genus Oenanthe, which typically grow in water or wet ground, and often are poisonous owing to the presence of oenanthotoxin and related compounds, esp. in their tuberous roots; frequently with distinguishing word.
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1640 J. Parkinson Theatrum Botanicum xvi. 1232 There are two sorts of this Water Dropwort, a greater and a lesser.
1780 P. Luckombe Tour through Ireland 203 These islands are covered mostly with oak, ash, hazel, and birch; at the feet of which grow fern, pollypodium, and water dropwort.
1838 B. H. Barton & T. Castle Brit. Flora Medica II. 396 The other species are less common, but all are poisonous, except the Pimpernel Water-Dropwort, (Œ. Pimpinelloides,) found in salt marshes, the tubers of which, in its cultivated state, are nutritive.
1946 A. Nelson Princ. Agric. Bot. xxii. 452 The fresh root of water dropwort is reported as fatal when consumed by cattle.
2004 Guardian 6 May i. 28/6 Rarities include the corky-fruited water dropwort.
water elder n. the guelder rose, Viburnum opulus (also called marsh elder). [Apparently after post-classical Latin sambucus aquatica (1554 in the source translated in quot. 1578); compare Dutch watervlier (1608 in a later edition of the underlying Dutch text).]
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > shrubs > viburnums or guelder rose and allies > [noun]
bendwithc1440
opier1548
opulus1548
ople1551
dwarf plane tree1578
water elder1578
whitten1578
guelder rose1597
rose elder1597
wayfaring man's tree1597
wayfaring tree1597
opiet1601
cotton tree1633
viorne1637
mealy tree1640
laurustinus1664
stinking tree1681
black haw1688
laurel-thyme1693
laurustine1693
viburnum1731
wayfaring shrub1731
May rose1753
pembina1760
snowball tree1760
mealtree1785
stink-tree1795
cherry-wood1821
snowball1828
sloe1846
withe-rod1846
lithy-tree1866
nannyberry1867
king's crown1879
stag bush1884
snowball bush1931
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball vi. lxxx. 760 This plant is called..Water Elder [Fr. Suyn..aquatique], bycause of the flowers and fruite, also the timber is full of pith, lyke Elder.
1838 J. C. Loudon Arboretum II. 1039 Viburnum Opulus. The Guelder Rose..Marsh Elder, Rose Elder, Water Elder.
1992 R. Bisgrove Gardens Gertrude Jekyll 59/1 The planting takes on a more flowing character..with generous masses of fresh green water elder.
water elm n. †(a) the narrow-leaved elm, a variety of the English elm, Ulmus procera (or U. minor) (obsolete rare); (b) U.S. the planer tree, Planera aquatica (family Ulmaceae).
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > elms > [noun]
wycheOE
elmc1000
ulm-treec1000
witch hazela1400
all-heart1567
ulme1567
white elm1580
wych elm1582
witchen1594
weeping elm1606
trench-elm1676
smooth-leaved elm1731
witch elm1731
water elm1733
slippery elm1748
Scotch elm1769
wahoo1770
American elm1771
red elm1805
witches' elm1808
moose elm1810
cork-elm1813
rock elm1817
swamp elm1817
planer tree1819
Jersey elm1838
winged elm1858
sand elm1878
Exeter-elm1882
1733 Pract. Husbandman & Planter I. i. 157 There are other Kinds of Elms, as..the Scotch, Dutch, and English Narrow-leav'd, or Water-Elm.
1818 W. Darby Emigrant's Guide Western & Southwestern States & Territories 114 The general timber found near the Mississippi, is composed of populus angulata (cotton wood), salix nigra (black willow), acer negundo (box alder)..and ulmus aquatica (water elm).
1903 ‘O. Henry’ in McClure's Mag. Dec. 144/1 Noticed a rabbit-hawk sitting on a dead limb in a water-elm.
2007 Geogr. Rev. 97 507 Water elm, in contrast to water hickory, is a small tree.
water feather n. chiefly U.S. (now rare) any of various aquatic plants with finely divided submerged leaves, esp. water violet (genus Hottonia) (cf. water featherfoil n.) and water milfoil (or parrot's feather) (genus Myriophyllum). [Compare German Wasserfeder (late 18th cent. or earlier).]
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > feather-foil
water gillyflower1578
water violet1578
water yarrow1597
water milfoil1760
feather-foil1776
water feather1818
1818 T. Nuttall Genera N. Amer. Plants I. 120 Hottonia..Water-feather.
1897 N. L. Britton & A. Brown Illustr. Flora Northern U.S. II. 586 Hottonia inflata..In shallow stagnant ponds, Massachusetts to central New York, south to Florida and Louisiana. June-Aug. Called also Water-feather.
1954 Amer. Midland Naturalist 52 306 Water feather, parrot's feather.—Ditches, small ponds, spring-fed streams, and swamps.
† water featherfoil n. Obsolete rare the water violet Hottonia palustris; cf. water feather n.
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1808 H. Holland Gen. View Agric. Cheshire 178 Water feather foil. (Hottonia palustris.) Wet ditches near Latchford.
water fern n. (a) any of various ferns often found growing near water, as (originally) the royal fern, Osmunda regalis, and (in later use) members of the genera Blechnum and Histiopteris; (b) any aquatic fern, including those of the genera Azolla and Salvinia (family Salviniaceae), which have floating leaves; esp. the widespread and sometimes invasive A. filiculoides. [Compare Dutch watervaren , French feuchier aquatique , and post-classical Latin filix aquatica (all cited in the 1557 French version of the herbal of R. Dodoens, in the passage translated in quot. 1578, but not in the underlying Dutch text of 1554).]
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1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball iii. lxi. 402 We may cal it in English Osmonde the Waterman, Waterferne, and Saint Christophers herbe.
1762 London Mag. May 240/1 Yet in this plain there are abundance of a sort of birds which nestle among water ferns.
1829 A. Eaton Man. Bot. (ed. 5) Gloss. Hydropterides, Water fern... Isoetes, azolla and salvina are placed here.
1860 Gardener's Monthly Oct. 317/2 Ceratopteris thalictroides,—the Water Fern; most interesting.
1998 N. Romanowski Aquatic & Wetland Plants 21 Soft waterfern (B[lechnum] minus) is found in wet to waterlogged areas around streams and swamps in forested places from Queensland through south-eastern Australia, and in New Zealand.
2011 Daily Tel. 28 Apr. 2/6 Most of the choking weeds were introduced from the Far East as ornaments for gardens. They include floating pennywort, water fern, Japanese knotweed, [etc.].
water figwort n. any of several figworts (genus Scrophularia) that grow in moist soil or near water, esp. S. auriculata; also called water betony.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Scrophulariaceae (figwort and allies) > [noun] > figwort and allies
brownwortc1000
scrophularyc1400
water betonyc1400
bishop-leaves1597
fig-wort1597
kernel-wort1597
pilewort1640
scrophularia1663
water figwort1670
rose noble1808
snake's head1834
salpiglossid1846
salt-rheum weed1846
Cornish money-wort1848
turtle-head1857
scrophulariad1866
fiddlewood1878–86
stinking Christopher1878
stinkwort1890
1670 J. Ray Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ 42 Betonica aquatica..Water-Betony, rectius Water-Figwort. Ad rivos.
1837 B. H. Barton & T. Castle Brit. Flora Medica I. 307 Water Figwort exhales when fresh a strong disagreeable odour, which is supposed to be of the narcotic kind.
1860 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. 1339/2 Water-Figwort, Greater, common name for the Scrophularia aquatica.
2001 Church Times 31 Aug. 11/1 Another plant beloved of bees is water figwort, a single stem of which has attained seven feet at the edge of our river.
water fir n. (in early use) a fir tree, or a plant likened to a fir, growing in or near water; (now) spec. either of two deciduous coniferous trees found in parts of China, Glyptostrobus pensilis and the metasequoia, Metasequoia glyptostroboides.
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1831 G. Don Gen. Syst. Gardening & Bot. I. 448/2 H[ydropityon] zeylanicum... Ceylon Water-fir.
1910 F. H. Britton Teddie xii. 132 Toward a water-fir that stood farthermost among all its brethren, a gentle swell swung his canoe.
1948 Jrnl. N.Y. Bot. Garden 49 202 In the winter of 1941 Professor T. Kan..saw on the roadside at Mou-tao-chi in Wan Hsien a large deciduous tree which was called by the natives shui-sa or water fir.
2007 W. Ping Last Communist Virgin in K. L. Thornber Ecoambiguity (2012) iii. 206 Everything along the river will go—the fields, the roads, the villages, the cities, the mountains, and our water fir.
water flannel n. rare a dense mat formed by tangled filaments of freshwater algae, esp. those of the genus Cladophora; (also) the alga itself (also called blanket-weed, flannel-weed).
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the world > plants > particular plants > algae > [noun] > silkweeds
crow-silk1721
conferva1758
moor-ball1777
Oscillatoria1828
water flannel1843
conferval1850
confervoid1855
silkweed1857
duck-mud1884
1843 Mirror 28 Oct. 281/1 Might not the water flannel be converted into food in times of scarcity?
1917 Bull. Vermont Bot. & Bird Clubs Apr. 17 Species of..water flannel, occur in tangled masses of stout-branched filaments in streams and ponds.
water forget-me-not n. a forget-me-not of damp habitats, Myosotis scorpioides, with slightly curled cymes of typically blue flowers.
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1840 A. Pratt Flowers & their Assoc. xvi. 215 All plants of this order are rough or hairy, except when, like the water forget-me-not, they become smooth from living partly under water.
1924 W. H. Fitch et al. Illustr. Brit. Flora (ed. 5) 175 Myosotis scorpioides... Water forget-me-not; b[lue].
2012 Church Times 27 Apr. 17/1 The unfortunate knight was probably reaching for Myosotis scorpioides, the Water Forget-me-not.
water germander n. a small perennial herbaceous plant found in marshy habitats in temperate Eurasia, Teucrium scordium (family Lamiaceae), having pinkish-purple flowers and leaves which have a strong scent when crushed.
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1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. G.iv Scordium..maye be called in englishe water Germander or Garleke Germander.
1691 G. Miege New State Eng. i. vi. 33 The Herb called Scordium, or Water Germander (of which the Cordial Dioscordium is made) grows here [sc. in Cambridgeshire] also very plentifully.
1826 E. P. Reid Hist. & Lit. Bot. III. 10 The water germander grows naturally in the Isle of Ely, and other fenny parts of England; its leaves are used for medicinal purposes.
2002 Guardian 18 Sept. i. 8/7 Pennyroyal, fen orchid and water germander exist only in protected sites of special scientific interest.
water gillyflower n. now rare the water violet Hottonia palustris. [Compare French girofle d'eau (1557 in the source translated in quot. 1578); compare water violet n.]
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > feather-foil
water gillyflower1578
water violet1578
water yarrow1597
water milfoil1760
feather-foil1776
water feather1818
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. lxxi. 106 Some call it in French Gyroflee d'eaue: in Latine Viola palustris: in base Almaigne Water Filieren: in English Water Gillofer.
1728 R. Bradley Dict. Bot. II. sig. Gv/1 The root of this Water Gillover is very small and creeping.
1910 Encycl. Brit. XII. 24/2 The water-violet, Hottonia palustris, called water-gillyflower.
water gladiole n. now rare (a) the flowering rush or water gladiolus, Butomus umbellatus; (b) the water lobelia, Lobelia dortmanna.
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1597 J. Gerard Herball i. 27 Water Gladiole is called of L'Obelius, Iuncus Cyperoides floridus paludosus, Flowring Cypresse Rush.
1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. 302 Gladiole, Water..Butomus... Gladiole, water... Lobelia.
1900 Trans. Oxf. Archæol. Soc. No. 40. 14 Among the striking features of the Otmoor Streams and ditches at the present day are the Flowering Rush or Water Gladiole.
1960 R. S. Ferris in L. Abrams & R. S. Ferris Illustr. Flora Pacific States IV. 96 Lobelia dortmanna... Water Lobelia or Water Gladiole.
1983 W. R. James Gardening with Biblical Plants 222 Flowering rush or marsh grass is also known as lily grass and water gladiole.
water gladiolus n. (a) the flowering rush, Butomus umbellatus; †(b) the water lobelia, Lobelia dortmanna (obsolete rare).
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1640 J. Parkinson Theatrum Botanicum Table 1739 Water Gladiolus.
1828 J. C. Sepp & J. Kops Flora Batava at Lobelia dortmanna Water Lobelia..Water-Gladiolus.
1917 E. Phillpotts Nursery ii. 15 Beside these noble plants throve water gladiolus, with umbels of pale pink.
2004 Wild Food: Proc. Oxf. Symp. Food & Cookery 305 We find..the water lilies, reeds, water plantain, water gladiolus [etc.]
water gum n. chiefly Australian any of various Australian gum trees (family Myrtaceae), esp. of the genera Tristania and Tristaniopsis, that are usually found growing near watercourses or in damp habitats.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > non-British trees or shrubs > Australasian trees > [noun] > other Australasian trees or shrubs
burrawang1826
water gum1826
kaikomako1832
karaka1834
kawa-kawa1838
peppermint1838
bottle tree1844
ngaio1849
Grevillea1853
red birch1853
wooden pear1860
muskwood1866
sugar-tree1866
tulip-tree1866
hop-bush1883
mock orange1884
mountain beech1884
sage tree1884
tile-seed1884
mutton-bird scrub1889
red birch1889
silver-tree1889
whalebone-tree1889
budda1890
camphor laurel1894
pepperbush1895
mustard bush1898
willow myrtle1898
pigeon wood1899
horizontal scrub1909
turkey-bush1911
pandani1923
mock orange1929
1826 J. Atkinson Acct. Agric. & Grazing New S. Wales ii. 14 Flooded or Water Gum—is found in low situations.
1847 F. W. L. Leichhardt Jrnl. Overland Exped. Austral. xii. 387 Long hollows surrounded with drooping tea-trees and the white water-gums.
1898 E. E. Morris Austral Eng. 181 Various other trees not of the genus Eucalyptus are also sometimes popularly called Gums, such as..Broad leaved Water Gum, Tristania suaveolens, Smith; Water Gum, Callistemon lanceolatus, De C.; Tristania laurina, T. neriifolia, R. Br.
2011 M. De Judicibus Bot. Notebook xxii. 144 Water Gum because it is usually found growing near to watercourses.
† water-gut n. Obsolete rare a bright green alga with puckered tubular fronds resembling the intestines of an animal, Enteromorpha intestinalis, found in salt, brackish, and fresh water.
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1835 G. T. Burnett Outl. Bot. I. 104 The Enteromorpha, or water-gut..receives its name from the intestine-like appearance of the fronds.
1843 Penny Cycl. XXV. 497/2 Enteromorpha, the Water-Gut, has a tubular, hollow, membranaceous frond, of a green colour and reticulated structure.
water hawthorn n. an aquatic plant with scented white flowers and oval floating leaves, Aponogeton distachyos (family Potamogetonaceae), native to South Africa and widely cultivated elsewhere.
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1879 Jrnl. Hort., Cottage Gardener & Home Farmer 24 July 73/2 The well-known Water Hawthorn (Aponogeton distachyon).
1920 G. Dillistone Planning & Planting of Little Gardens vii. 88 In such pools, too, I should plant at least one water Hawthorn because of its delicious odour.
2003 Pract. Fishkeeping Aug. 44/3 Lagarosiphon, Hornwort and Water hawthorn are all reliable.
water hemlock n. (also †water hemlocks) any of various poisonous umbelliferous plants of wet or marshy areas, belonging to the genera Cicuta (cowbanes) and Oenanthe (water dropworts).
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1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. ccccxiv. 902 Water Homlocks..riseth vp with a thicke, fat, and emptie hollowe stalke.
1784 J. Twamley Dairying Exemplified 117 Water-wort, Water-hemlock, or Water-skeleton, is esteemed a fatal poison to Horses.
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. I. 208 The cicuta virosa, or water-hemlock, the leaves of which have been mistaken for smallage.
1987 P. C. Newman Caesars of Wilderness ii. xi. 282 The beaver, it turned out, had been feeding on poison parsnip (water hemlock).
water-hemp n. (a) water agrimony, esp. Eupatorium cannibinum (now rare); (b) U.S. any of several North American plants of the genus Amaranthus (family Amaranthaceae), esp. A. cannabinus, a tall marsh plant with willow-like leaves and greenish-yellow flowers, and A. tuberculatus, a troublesome agricultural weed.
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1553 J. Withals Shorte Dict. f. 30/1 Water hempe, eupatorium vulgare.
1812 R. J. Thornton Brit. Flora III. 23 Bidens. Bur-marygold... From its trifid leaves, and habitation, it is called also Water-Hemp.
1843 J. Torrey Flora State N.Y. II. 138 Acnida cannabina, Linn. Common Water-hemp.
1904 J. M. Matthews Textile Fibres 192 (note) Water hemp, Eupatorium cannabinum.
2005 Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana) 30 Aug. a9/6 The other problem weeds, in order, are..waterhemp, burcucumber, duckweed and dandelion.
water hickory n. a hickory tree of the southern United States, Carya aquatica, which typically grows near rivers.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > non-British trees or shrubs > North American trees or shrubs > [noun] > hickory
pohickory1644
pignut1666
hickory1670
hickory tree1682
shagbark1751
shell-bark1769
scaly-bark1775
swamp hickory1806
hognut hickory1810
kiskitomasa1817
water hickory1818
nutmeg hickory1832
king-nut1880
1818 W. Darby Emigrant's Guide Western & Southwestern States & Territories ii. 80 Juglans aquatica,... Water hickory.
1930 Texas Dept. Agric. Bull. No. 95. 87 The water hickory and the pignut seem to be close akin to the pecan and are probably better suited for pecan stock.
2011 G. Nelson Trees Florida (ed. 2) 226 Upon first seeing a water hickory, the uninitiated might think it a pecan.
water horehound n. any of various plants of the genus Lycopus (family Lamiaceae), which comprises perennial herbaceous plants of wetland habitats, with serrate or deeply cut leaves and whitish, four-lipped flowers borne in whorls in the leaf axils; esp. L. europaeus.
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1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. lxxxix. 131 The herbe..is called in this countrey Marrubium palustre, that is to say, Marrish or water Horehound [Fr. Marrube d'eaue, ou aquatique; no corresponding sentence in the Dutch original].
1640 J. Parkinson Theatrum Botanicum 1230 This other Water or Marsh Horehound hath square stalkes, but hairy and a little hoary and rough, whereon are set leaves by couples, as in the former.
1903 Amer. Naturalist 37 378 The white-flowered water horehound (Lycopus) has pale green foliage.
2002 Rhodora 104 156 The range of European water-horehound expanded 380 km northeastward from Sorel to Trois-Pistoles River.
water horsetail n. †(a) a wetland horsetail, spec. the marsh horsetail, Equisetum palustre (obsolete); (b) (also more fully great water horsetail) a horsetail found in shallow water and swampy ground in north temperate regions, Equisteum fluviatile.
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the world > plants > particular plants > ferns > [noun] > horse-tail and allies
padpipe?a1300
paddock-pipec1300
holy-water strinklec1440
shavegrassc1450
shavewortc1450
horsetail1538
shaving-grass1538
cat's tail1552
toad-pipe1578
pewterwort1597
horse-willow1611
prêle1661
shave-weed1691
water horsetail1710
horse-pipe1785
rush1804
shave-rush1821
equisetum1830
pipeweed1837
scouring rush1845
mud horsetail1855
jointweed1879
bottlebrush1883
1710 W. Salmon Eng. Herbal I. 540/2 The Kinds of the Marsh or Water Horsetail.
1807 J. V. Thompson Catal. Plants Berwick upon Tweed 99 Equisetum... fluviatile. Great Water Horsetail. April. Marshes, and River-sides.
1974 W. Condry Woodlands xiii. 147 First the shallow water may be invaded by water horsetails, reeds and bulrushes.
2014 D. Smallshire & A. Swash Britain's Dragonflies (ed. 3) 80 Eggs are laid, while 'in tandem', into floating and emergent vegetation, including Bog Pondweed and Water Horsetail.
water hyacinth n. †(a) pickerel weed, Pontederia cordata (obsolete rare); (b) any of the floating aquatic plants constituting the tropical American genus Eichhornia (family Pontederiaceae); esp. E. crassipes, with thick rounded leaves and large mauve flowers, which was widely introduced as an ornamental plant and has become an invasive weed of lakes and waterways.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > pickerel-weed > floating islands of
water hyacinth1706
camalote1881
1706 J. Petiver Classical Catal. 94 Blue Virginia Water Hyacinth.
1893 Gardening 15 Sept. 4/2 The chief show of bloom is from the water poppy (Limnocharis Humboldtii) and the water hyacinth (Eichhornia azurea).
1897 H. J. Webber in Bull. U.S. Dept. Agric.: Bot. XVIII. 13 The water hyacinth is becoming a serious menace to navigation.
1927 E. Thompson Indian Day xiv. 111 A colony of water hyacinth had rooted itself..where deep water still remained.
2009 Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) 11 June (Greening the Future Suppl.) 13/2 The Delta Park Dog Walkers have removed the invasive water hyacinth from the top dam.
water hyssop n. †(a) hedge hyssop, Gratiola officinalis (obsolete); (b) any of various plants related to this; esp. any of the aquatic or wetland plants of warm regions constituting the genus Bacopa (family Plantaginaceae), having small, often fleshy leaves and white or bluish flowers; spec. the pantropical B. monnieri.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1653 Choice Man. Secrets Physick & Chyrurgery 158 Take Coltsfoot, Water Hysop, water and Honey..and boil them well.
1746 T. Short Medicina Britannica 153 Hedge or Water Hyssop (Gratiola) is a most powerful excellent Remedy for Evacuating thin, watery, or slow bilious Humours, both upward and downward.
1864 A. H. R. Grisebach Flora Brit. W. Indian Islands 788 Water-hyssop, Herpestis Monnieria.
2006 Jrnl. Coastal Res. 22 390/1 New species previously not found included salt marsh bulrush..and water-hyssop.
water ivy n. †(a) ivy-leaved duckweed, Lemna trisulca (obsolete); (b) German ivy, Delairea odorata, which is native to the mist-belt of South Africa.
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1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. cclxxxviii. 680 There is another plant growing in the water of small moment.., called Hæderula aquatica or water Iuie, the which is verie rare to finde.
1670 J. Ray Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ 161 Water-Ivy, or Ivy-leaved-Ducksmeat.
1863 J. H. Balfour & J. Sadler Flora Edinb. 129 L[emna] trisulca, L. Ivy-leaved Duck-weed or Water-Ivy.
1887 E. H. Adams To & Fro in S. Calif. xxix. 258 The posts are twined with water ivy and other climbing vines.
2007 J. M. DiTomaso & E. A. Healy Weeds Calif. I. 305 Cape-ivy [Delairea odorata Lem.]... Synonyms: German-ivy;..water ivy.
water lentil n. (also †water lentils) now rare a duckweed (genus Lemna and related genera). [Compare Dutch waterlinze (1514, earliest in plural form), German Wasserlinse (1539), post-classical Latin lenticula aquatica (mid 13th cent., earliest in a British source), lenticula aque (15th cent. or earlier).]
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1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. D.viijv Lens palustris..is called in english Duckes meate or water Lentilles, in duch wasser linse.
1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature III. 179 The water-lentil of our marshes, as well as the typha of our rivers, has the middle of it's leaf swelled.
1871 tr. F.-A. Pouchet Universe 264 The water-lentil..spreads its carpet of verdure on the surface of our pools.
2008 N. Kozloff Revolution! vi. 150 Following the emergence of the water lentil, the authorities declared an ‘environmental emergency’ in Lake Maracaibo.
water lettuce n. a pantropical aquatic plant having floating rosettes of soft thick leaves resembling lettuces or cabbages, Pistia stratiotes (family Araceae), often behaving as an invasive weed of waterways and lakes; also called water cabbage.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > duckweeds and allies
endemetea1387
duckweedc1440
frog's foot1526
greens1526
duck's meat1538
water lentil1548
grain1578
fen lentil1601
Pistia1754
lemna1789
lentil-dew1800
water lettuce1847
Jenny Greenteeth1852
creed1880
1847 F. Martin Jrnl. in Rep. Comm. Public Lands (1848) App. 131 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (30th Congr., 1st Sess.: Senate Rep. 242) I Our course was impeded by dense masses of water lettuce.
1952 G. F. Hervey & J. Hems Freshwater Trop. Aquarium Fishes iii. 35 Water Lettuce..is indigenous to the West Indies, where it was (if it no longer is) believed to be responsible for malaria.
2009 Hana Hou! (Hawaiian Airlines) Feb. 34/1 Our laughter drifts over the lilies, water lettuces and hyacinths.
water-liverwort n. [ < water n. + liverwort n., apparently originally after Dutch water leverkruid (1554 in the passage translated in quot. 1578)] †(a) the water crowfoot, Ranunculus aquatilis (obsolete); (b) any of various liverworts (bryophytes) of damp or aquatic habitats; (in later use) spec. = crystalwort n.
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1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. lxxi. 106 Amongst the fleeting herbes there is also a certayne herbe which some call Water Lyverworte [Fr. Hepatique d'eaue, Du. water Levercruyt].
1722 J. Miller Botanicum Officinale 228 Lichen petræus seu Hepatica fontana, Stone or Water-Liverwort.
1754 tr. A. Le Camus Abdeker i. xvi. 99 Take of..Water-Liverwort, Fumitory, Dodder, of each three Ounces.
1912 H. S. Pepoon Representative Plants 130 (heading) Water liverworts (Riccia fluitans).
1973 Aquarist & Pondkeeper Feb. 435/2 The finding of many specimens of the aquatic Oribatid mite, Hydrozetes lacustris on lesser duckweed..and crystalwort which is the water-liverwort, Riccia fluitans, in the South-East Pond on the common.
water lobelia n. an aquatic plant with a basal rosette of narrow leaves and a tall thin stem bearing a widely-spaced raceme of pale blue, white, or pale pink flowers, Lobelia dortmanna.
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1777 S. Robson Brit. Flora 16 Bilocular, divided into two cells by a longitudinal membrane, as in Water Lobelia.
1900 F. T. Parsons How to know Wild Flowers 303 The water lobelia is found in the shallow water of ponds.
2008 S. E. Jorgensen & B. D. Fath Encycl. Ecol. I. 30/2 In nutrient-poor lakes, plant species such as shore weed or water lobelia, living in shallow waters close to lake shores, are overgrown by bog mosses.
water locust n. (in full water locust tree) a honey locust tree native to swamps and damp river valleys in the south-eastern United States; the swamp locust, Gleditsia aquatica (family Fabaceae ( Leguminosae)).
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > cultivated or ornamental trees and shrubs > [noun] > gleditschia or honey locust
honey locust1709
gleditsia1760
water locust1813
three-thorned acacia1818
1813 F. A. Michaux Histoire des Arbres Forestiers de l'Amérique Septentrionale III. 169 (heading) Gleditsia monosperma. The Water Locust.
1871 Ann. Rep. Acclimatisation Soc. Victoria 51 The Water Locust tree of North America..will grow in swamps to 80 feet.
1915 Science 12 Feb. 227/2 The most striking feature of these lake successions..is the stage dominated by the tupelo, bald cypress and water locust.
2009 Northeastern Naturalist 16 558 It [sc. the Evening Bat] maintained roost fidelity to a Gleditsia aquatica Marsh. (Water Locust) tree located in an undisturbed bottomland hardwood stand.
water lovage n. rare †the (poisonous) root of a water dropwort (obsolete); a water dropwort, esp. Oenanthe crocata or O. fistulosa.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > water-parsley or aquatic umbellifers
water parsley1562
marsh parsley1582
hemlock (water) dropwort1597
water parsnip1597
water lovage1633
five-fingered root1747
marshwort1776
fool's watercress1837
sap-wort1844
1633 T. Johnson Gerard's Herball (new ed.) ii. 1060 The roots of this plant..are dayly by the ignorant women in Cheape-side sold..by the name of water Louage.
1793 C. Milne Indigenous Bot. I. 390 Women..who supply the apothecaries with physical herbs vended this pernicious root under the name of Water Lovage.
1835 W. Baxter Brit. Phænogamous Bot. II. §160 Œnanthe Crocata. Hemlock Water-dropwort. Dead Tongue. Five-fingered Root. Water Lovage.
1931 M. Grieve Mod. Herbal II. 501/1 Water Lovage is closely allied to Hemlock Water Dropwort.., and is by no means to be regarded as an edible plant.
water maize n. [ < water n. + maize n., after French maïs d'eau or its model Spanish maiz del agua (both 1835 in the same source, or earlier)] rare the edible starchy seeds of the giant water lily of South America, Victoria amazonica; the plant itself.
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1838 Edwards's Bot. Reg. 24 14 The seeds, as large as peas, are used as food under the name of Water maize.
1900 Amer. Dict. & Cycl. X. 4409/3 The plant is..called Water Maize by the natives of the region where it grows.
water mallow n. any of various plants of the family Malvaceae found in damp places, including marshmallow, Althaea officinalis, musk mallow, Malva moschata, and rose mallow (genus Hibiscus).
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > marshmallow
marshmalloweOE
hollyhocka1300
wymalvea1300
white mallowa1400
vimauea1425
mallow1483
marish mallow1548
water mallow1548
mucilage mallow1578
moorish mallow1597
wymote1597
shrub mallow1640
guimauve1812
1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. A.vijv Althea..in Englishe marish mallowe or water mallowe.
1710 W. Salmon Botanologia I. 673/1 The second, or Water Mallow, (or Marsh Mallow red Flowered).
1830 C. S. Rafinesque Med. Flora U.S. II. 228 Hibiscus, L. Water Mallow, Sweatweed.
2010 K. D. Cutler et al. Herb Gardening for Dummies (ed. 2) 306 With the common names marsh mallow and water mallow, you can guess that this herb grows in boggy and wet places in the wild.
† water mango n. Barbados Obsolete rare a West Indian plant or tree (not identified).
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1700 L. Plukenet Almagesti Botanici Mantissa 126 Manghas aquæ Americana, folio subrotundo, Barbadensibus Water Mangoes dicta.
water maple n. chiefly North American any of various maples typically found growing near water, esp. (in early use) the ash-leaved maple (or box elder), Acer negundo, and (in later use) the red maple, A. rubrum, and the silver maple, A. saccharinum; cf. swamp maple n. at swamp n. Compounds 6.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > maples > [noun]
maple treeOE
maplec1385
plane tree1562
great maple1597
sycamore-tree1597
sycamore1598
sugar-tree1705
sugar maple1731
red maple1767
scarlet maple1768
rock maple1774
white maple1774
silk wood1775
moosewood1778
mountain maple1785
box elder1787
acer1793
sycamore maple1796
mock plane1797
Montpellier maple1797
water maple1803
soft maple1806
sugar-wood1809
swamp maple1810
low maple1813
maple bush1821
Neapolitan maple1833
snake-bark1838
moose-maple1839
sap-tree1843
Manitoba maple1887
Japanese maple1898
curly maple1909
Queensland maple1915
paperbark maple1927
Amur maple1934
1803 A. Ellicott Jrnl. x. 284 Water maple, (acer negundo).
1822 J. Woods Two Years' Resid. Eng. Prairie 93 Beech, the prevailing timber, except on the banks of the river; there mostly sycamore, water-maple, and willows.
1912 I. S. Cobb Back Home 137 [The] walk..[was] shaded well all the way by water maples.
2010 Kenyon Rev. 29 172 He'd..take a spot behind the trunk of a leafless water maple.
water marigold n. (a) marsh marigold, Caltha palustris, or any of several other plants of the genus Caltha (now rare); (b) a yellow-flowered aquatic bur marigold of North America, Bidens beckii, which is highly sensitive to water pollution and hence used as an indicator species.
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1807 J. Sinclair Code Health & Longevity I. 240 Waters are good which produce water-cresses and water-marigolds.
1816 W. Salisbury Botanist's Compan. I. 12 Caltha, Water-Marigold.
1843 J. Torrey Flora State N.Y. I. 232 Bidens Beckii, Torr... Water Marigold.
1858 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Mar. 358/1 The water-marigold raises aloft its glowing flower, and gazes ardently at the sun.
1911 Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 50 564 It [sc. a kind of peat] is formed for the most part of roots, matted foliage and stems of Empetrum rubrum, a variety of ‘crowberry’..; Myrtus nummularia, a creeping myrtle; Caltha appendiculata, a dwarf species of water marigold; [etc.].
2002 Rhodora 104 378 An investigation during the summer of 2000..resulted in the discovery of another population of the water marigold.
water meal n. any of the tiny thalloid floating plants constituting the genus Wolffia (family Lemnaceae), of tropical and warm temperate regions.
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1915 Bull. U.S. Dept. Agric. No. 205 4 Wolffia..contains the smallest flowering plants... These appear as green granules... They look like coarse meal, except for their green color, and feel like it, so that a good name for them would be water meal.
1981 D. W. Magee Freshwater Wetlands 101 Wolffia columbiana (Water-meal).
2007 E. Toensmeier Perennial Veg. 64/1 Other edible floating aquatics (not profiled in this book) include duckweeds (Lemna spp.) and water meal (Wolffia spp.).
water moss n. any of various mosses that grow in or near water; esp. any of the aquatic mosses constituting the genus Fontinalis (family Fontinalaceae).
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > moss > [noun] > other mosses
golden maidenhair1578
polytrichon1578
bryon1597
maidenhair moss1597
mountain coralline1598
chalice-moss1610
purple bottle1650
water moss1663
fern-moss1698
hypnum1753
Mnium1754
rock tripe1763
feather-moss1776
scaly water-moss1796
screw moss1804
hog-bed1816
fringe-moss1818
caribou moss1831
apple moss1841
bristle-moss1844
scale-moss1846
anophyte1850
robin's rye1854
wall moss1855
fork-moss1860
thread-moss1864
lattice moss1868
robin-wheat1886
1663 J. Ray App. ad Catalogum Plantarum f. 4v Muscus triangularis aquaticus. Triangular water-moss.
1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fife & Kinross 63 The vast Increase of thick Water Moss..flourisheth and groweth wonderfully upon such rotten Grounds.
1843 Florist's Jrnl. May 89 The sphagnum, or water-moss, should always be well chopped before used.
1957 Fassett's Man. Aquatic Plants (rev. ed.) 40 Fontinalis... Water Moss. Common in flowing water; some species are among the largest mosses.
2012 J. Tevis Wet Coll. i. 67 In the shallow, clear water you could see boulders long tumbled from the scree piles on the banks. Water mosses like tiny trees grew on them.
water-net n. any freshwater green alga of the genus Hydrodictyon (see hydrodictyon n.), forming colonies resembling a net or mesh.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > algae > [noun] > other algae
slake?a1505
laver1611
sea purse1769
water-net1821
red snow1825
red snow plant1836
hydrodictyon1841
Protococcus1842
snow plant1846
purple laver1847
red snow alga1848
gory dew1861
yellow cell1861
spirogyra1875
blanket-weed1879
phycochrome1881
zoochlorella1882
chlamydomonas1884
zygnemid1887
gonyaulax1902
chlorella1904
chlorophyte1937
1821 S. F. Gray Nat. Arrangem. Brit. Plants I. 300 Hydrodictyon. Roth. Water-net.
1904 Nature 25 Aug. 396/2 This is likely to be an exaggerated Chinese account of the now well-known water-net (Hydrodictyon utriculatum Roth.).
2004 Amer. Jrnl. Bot. 91 726/2 (caption) Microscopic view of the water-net.
water nut n. the edible nut of water caltrop (genus Trapa); the plant itself; also called water chestnut. [Compare German Wassernuss (15th cent.), Dutch waternoot (1554 in Dodoens).]
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > fruit and vegetables > vegetables > stalk vegetables > [noun] > water-chestnut
water nut1523
saligot1578
water chestnut1597
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular vegetables > [noun] > stalk vegetables > water-chestnut
water nut1523
saligot1578
water chestnut1597
ling1860
Jesuits' nut1866
water caltrops1866
1523 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 70 [Carectum] castanea marina, anglice waternot.
1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. 83 When the cloth is taken away, they have set before them..waternuts (which I did see onely in Saxony) and a loafe of bread cut into shives.
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Caltrop The Fruit which is arm'd with four Prickles, incloses a kind of White Almond or Kernel..; and this Fruit is known by the Name of the Water-Nut.
1885 Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 71/2 The jhils supply the villages with wild rice..and the singhara water-nut.
1958 Jrnl. Amer. Water Wks. Assoc. 50 941/2 The European water chestnut or water-nut..has invaded the Chesapeake area.
2012 M. Palo & E. Lehto Private or Socialistic Forestry? iii. 63 Some cultivation of water nut and hazel..also took place.
water oats n. wild rice (genus Zizania) (see rice n.2 3a).
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > cereal, corn, or grain > [noun] > rice > types of rice or rice-plants
fundi1670
ricea1710
wild rice1748
zizania1756
zizany1759
water oats1771
Canada rice1786
Carolina rice1787
menomin1791
Patna rice1795
Indian rice1809
pulut1820
dhan1832
hungry rice1858
swamp rice1861
Menominee1949
miracle rice1968
1771 J. R. Forster Catal. Plants N. Amer. in tr. J. B. Bossu Trav. Louisiana II. 59 Water-oats..grows in swamps.
1819 D. B. Warden Acc. U.S. II. 538 Water oats, or wild rice (Zizania aquatica) grows in the soft marshes of the eastern parts [of Louisiana].
1919 Proc. Indiana Acad. Sci. 29 241 In the shallow water of the numerous small lakes throughout the Great Lake region..grows the water oats or Indian rice.
2004 M. H. Wong Wetlands Ecosystems Asia 205 The yearly productivity for vascular hydrophytes is about 450,000 t[onnes], among which reeds are over 70,000 t, water oats (Zizania latifolia), about 225,000 t, and submerged hydrophytes 147,000 t.
† water paper n. Obsolete rare (William Turner's name for) the papyrus plant; cf. herb paper n. at herb n. Compounds 2b.
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1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. F.iv Papyros..maye be called in englishe water paper, or herbe paper.
water pepperwort n. rare water pepper ( Persicaria hydropiper). [Compare earlier water pepper n. and the foreign-language forms cited at that entry.]
ΚΠ
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball v. lxvii. 632 This herbe is called in English, Water pepper, or Water-pepperwurt, and of some Curagie.
1904 C. F. Langworthy & P. T. Austen Occurr. Aluminum in Veg. Products 38 The analysis of the tops and leaves of water pepperwort (Polygonum hydropiper).
1958 P. Lewis Brit. Wild Flowers 310 P. hydropiper L. (Water Pepperwort) is a slender plant with lax, curved spikes of greenish, glandular flowers.
water pimpernel n. any of various small herbaceous plants of wet or damp habitats, esp. (a) a brooklime or water speedwell (genus Veronica) (now rare); (b) (often with distinguishing word) any plant of the genus Samolus (family Primulaceae), typically having rosettes of leaves and racemes of small white or pink flowers; also called brookweed.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Primulaceae family or plants > [noun]
herb twopence1548
twopenny grass1548
water pimpernel1575
moneywort1578
pimpernel1633
piss-weed1714
samolus1753
bastard pimpernel1762
chaff-weed1796
pimpernel chaffweed1796
primwort1846
brook weed1861
money plant1873
Wandering Jenny1878
creeping Jenny1882
Wandering Sailor(s1882
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Scrophulariaceae (figwort and allies) > [noun] > Veronica or speedwell
lemkea1300
God's eye?a1350
waterlink?a1425
brooklimea1450
fluellin1548
Paul's betony1548
wood-penny1570
water pimpernel1575
ground-hele1578
speedwell1578
wild germander1578
germander chickweed1597
leper's herb1600
lime-wort1666
water purpy1683
water-speedwell1690
beccabunga1706
rock speedwell1719
Welsh speedwell1731
germander speedwell1732
St. Paul's betony1736
vernal speedwell1796
wall speedwell1796
cat's-eye1817
wellink1826
skull-cap1846
forget-me-not1853
veronica1855
angels' eyes1862
horse-cress1879
faverel1884
St. Paul's betony1884
1575 J. Banister Needefull Treat. Chyrurg. f. 95v Anagallis aquatica, Water pimpernell.
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 495 Of Brookelyme, or water Pimpernell... There be fower sorts of Water herbes comprehended vnder the name Anagallis aquatica, or water Pimpernell, or water Chicken weede.
1816 Encycl. Perthensis XIX. 622/2 Samolus, in botany, Round-leaved Water Pimpernel.
1856 P. H. Gosse Tenby xxiii. 223 A little streamlet..now expanded into a tiny basin, in which the white blossoms of the Water Pimpernel were bathed.
1919 L. Cockayne New Zealand Plants (ed. 2) 38 The chief species..are the southern water-pimpernel..and the salt-grass.
1993 R. W. Tiner Field Guide Coastal Wetland Plants Southeastern U.S. 216/1 Water Pimpernel Samolus parviflorus Raf... Coast Water Pimpernel (S. ebracteatus) has pinkish flowers, and its flower stalks lack bracts.
water pine n. [ < water n. + pine n.2; in sense (b) probably after Chinese shuǐsōng ( < shuǐ water (see feng shui n.) + sōng pine)] †(a) a bromeliad (genus Tillandsia), among the leaves of which rainwater may collect (obsolete rare); (b) any of various coniferous trees typically growing in wet or swampy ground; spec. any member of the genus Glyptostrobus (family Cupressaceae), the only living representative of which ( G. pensilis) is now found only in parts of subtropical Asia.
ΚΠ
1760 Christian's Mag. 1 20 (heading) Reflexions on the Water-Pine and Water-With of Jamaica.
1818 W. Darby Emigrant's Guide Western & Southwestern States & Territories 33 (table) Loblolly, or water pine.
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. I. 537 G[lyptostrobus] heterophyllus, a small tree eight to ten feet high, is the Chinese Water Pine, planted along the margins of rice-fields near Canton.
2004 P. J. Currie et al. Feathered Dragons ii. 39 The peaty paleosols of Montana represent swamps of water pine (Glyptostrobus)..which became much more widespread during the Early Paleocene.
water poplar n. either of two poplars which typically grow close to rivers: (a) the black poplar, Populus nigra, of Europe and Asia (now rare); (b) U.S. a cottonwood, P. deltoides, of the eastern and central United States.
ΚΠ
1676 M. Cook Manner of raising Forrest-trees vi. 12 If your Ground be moist you may Set with success any sort of Willow, Sallow, or Osier, Alder, Water-Poplers, [etc.].
1771 J. R. Forster tr. P. Kalm Trav. N. Amer. II. 251 The Water-poplar is the most common tree hereabouts.
1842 Visitor Jan. 37/2 In some parts of England this tree [sc. Populus nigra] is known as the willow poplar, in others as the water poplar.
1920 C. G. D. Roberts Hoof & Claw 113 A patch of swamp... Just at its edge towered a group of three immense water-poplars.
2007 K. Cain Cottonwood Tree ii. 16 (list) Common names... Southern Cottonwood... Water Poplar.
water primrose n. (a) the water violet Hottonia palustris, which is a member of the primrose family (now rare); (b) any of various aquatic or waterside plants of the genus Ludwigia (family Onagraceae), having yellow, primrose-like flowers; esp. Ludwigia hexapetala, native to tropical America but naturalized elsewhere and often considered an invasive weed.
ΚΠ
1869 W. Houghton Country Walks Naturalist i. 8 Willy will tell us that the word palustris means ‘marshy’, in allusion to the places where the water primrose is found growing.
1908 T. Mackay Reminisc. Albert Pell v. 103 The hottonia, or water-primrose, adorns most of the dykes with a tall spike of delicate pink flowers.
1940 N. C. Fassett Man. Aquatic Plants 261 (heading) Water primrose, primrose willow.
1973 Times 4 Oct. 25/4 The importance of this moth for biological control is that it attacks the creeping water-primrose, Ludwigia adscendens.
2014 Guardian (Nexis) 7 Apr. 32 From this month, selling the water fern, parrot's feather and water primrose is banned and could attract a £5,000 fine.
† water purpy n. Scottish Obsolete common brooklime, Veronica beccabunga.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Scrophulariaceae (figwort and allies) > [noun] > Veronica or speedwell
lemkea1300
God's eye?a1350
waterlink?a1425
brooklimea1450
fluellin1548
Paul's betony1548
wood-penny1570
water pimpernel1575
ground-hele1578
speedwell1578
wild germander1578
germander chickweed1597
leper's herb1600
lime-wort1666
water purpy1683
water-speedwell1690
beccabunga1706
rock speedwell1719
Welsh speedwell1731
germander speedwell1732
St. Paul's betony1736
vernal speedwell1796
wall speedwell1796
cat's-eye1817
wellink1826
skull-cap1846
forget-me-not1853
veronica1855
angels' eyes1862
horse-cress1879
faverel1884
St. Paul's betony1884
1683 J. Sutherland Hortus Medicus Edinburgensis 23 Common Brooklime, falsly called Water Purpy.
a1760 C. Alston Lect. Materia Medica (1770) II. 81 We call them purslane, and purpy; and this water-purpy on account of the similitude betwixt them.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor iv, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 72 Cresses or water-purpie, and a bit oat-cake, can serve the Master for breakfast as weel as Caleb.
water purslane n. (a) a small creeping plant of pond margins, Lythrum portula (family Lythraceae), with inconspicuous axillary flowers; (b) U.S. a water primrose, Ludwigia palustris (family Onagraceae).
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1633 T. Johnson Gerard's Herball (new ed.) ii. 614 Water Purslane, hath a small stringy root which sends forth diuers creeping square branches.
1819 Catal. Plants City N.Y. 23 Ludwigia..palustris. Ell. (Water Purslane.)
1918 W. Graveson Brit. Wild Flowers (1919) xxv. 243 By the side of the small ponds on the open parts of the heath there was abundance of Water Purslane.
2011 T. A. Block & A. F. Rhoads Aquatic Plants Pennsylvania 136 Water-purslane is a very common plant of shallow water.
water radish n. now rare a yellow cress (genus Rorippa) growing in or near water; esp. marsh yellow cress, R. palustris, and great yellow cress, R. amphibia.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball v. xxxvi. 598 The seconde kinde is called..in Latine, Radicula sylvestris: of some Radicula palustris;..in English, wilde Radish, or water Radish.
1789 W. Marshall Rural Econ. Glocestershire I. xxviii. 181 Sisymbrium amphibium,—water radish.
1901 Proc. Royal Irish Acad. 7 25 Nasturtium amphibium R. Br. Water Radish.
water rice n. wild rice (genus Zizania) (see rice n.2 3a).
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1811–12 W. J. Titford Sketches Hortus Botanicus Americanus 95 Water Rice..will grow where the water is two feet deep.
1970 Econ. Bot. 24 12/1 Manchurian water-rice was originally a cereal crop in ancient China.
1981 Jrnl. Missouri Bot. Garden 68 90 In the Far East Zizania latifolia Turcz. (water rice) is grown as a vegetable.
water rose n. now rare = water lily n. (in various senses).
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > water-lilies
edockec1000
water rose?a1300
mead-flower?a1350
water beanc1400
water coltsfoot14..
nenuphar?a1425
water lily?a1425
lotec1487
lotusc1487
nymphaea1543
water-can1622
can-dock1661
lotus flower1710
pond lily1748
Indian lotus1797
padma1799
Nuphar1822
beaver-root1832
splatterdock1832
frog-lily1845
brandy-bottle1846
Victoria1846
water nymph1848
lotus lily1857
cow-lily1862
pool lily1902
?a1300 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 31 [Aquilaria] apium risus apellatur, anglice water-rose.
?c1450 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 256 [Ungula Caballina Aquatica] water-rose.
1548 W. Turner Names of Herbes sig. E.vij Nymphea..is called in english water Roses, & some wyth the Potecaries cal it nenufar.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. xxvi. x. 256 Of Water-rose, otherwise called Nenuphar.
1821 S. F. Gray Nat. Arrangem. Brit. Plants II. 340 Limnanthes peltata..Shield-leaf water-rose.
1904 F. Townsend Flora Hampshire (new ed.) 18 White Water-lily. Water Rose.
water sallow n. now rare = water willow n. 1.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > tree or shrub groups > willow and allies > [noun] > other types of willow
red willow1547
water willow1583
goat's willow1597
rose willow1597
sweet willow1597
French willow1601
siler1607
palm-withy1609
sallowie1610
swallowtail willow1626
willow bay1650
black willow1670
crack-willow1670
grey willow1697
water sallow1761
almond willowa1763
swallow-tailed willow1764
swamp willow1765
golden osier1772
golden willow1772
purple willow1773
sand-willow1786
goat willow1787
purple osier1797
whipcord1812
Arctic willow1818
sage-willow1846
pussy willow1851
Kilmarnock willow1854
sweet-bay willow1857
pussy1858
palm willow1869
Spaniard1871
ground-willow1875
Spanish willow1875
snap-willow1880
diamond willow1884
sandbar willow1884
pussy palm1886
creeping willow1894
bat-willow1907
cricket bat willow1907
silver willow1914
1761 J. Mordant Compl. Steward I. 17 With good green faggots of alder, elm, willow, water sallow,..lay a course in all the trenches.
1841 Penny Cycl. XX. 359/2 Salix aquatica, water sallow... This is also a British species.
1905 E. North Buxton Epping Forest 127 Salix aquatica. Water Sallow.
water scorpion-grass n. the water forget-me-not, Myosotis scorpioides.
ΚΠ
1633 T. Johnson Gerard's Herball (new ed.) 338 (caption) Scorpioides palustris. Water Scorpion grasse.
1877 F. E. Hulme Bards & Blossoms ii. 126 The aquatic situation and the large size of the flowers of the water scorpion grass, or forget-me-not.
2000 A. F. Rhoads & T. A. Block Plants Pennsylvania 268 Myosotis scorpioides... Forget-me-not, water scorpion-grass.
water shield n. [ < water n. + shield n., after scientific Latin Hydropeltis, former genus name ( A. Michaux Flora Boreali-Americana (1803) I. 323)] a widely distributed aquatic plant having oval floating leaves, submerged stems coated in mucilage, and small purple flowers, Brasenia schreberi (family Cabombaceae).
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1817 A. Eaton Man. Bot. 63 Hydropeltis..purpurea, (water shield).
1858 Atlantic Monthly Sept. 468/1 We have observed certain slow watercourses where the leaves of the water-lily have been almost wholly replaced by the similar, but smaller, leaves of the water-shield.
2008 New Yorker 24 Nov. 57/1 Other specialties include water shield—an aquatic herb, from Taihu Lake.
water smartweed n. a wetland plant having oval leathery leaves and a spike of pink flowers, Persicaria amphibia (family Polygonaceae), native to north temperate regions and introduced elsewhere.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > water-pepper
arsesmarta1300
red-kneea1300
culragea1400
smarthole1440
water pepper1538
arsenick1552
ciderage1578
lake-weed1693
water smartweed1867
pochard grass1879
1867 A. Gray Man. Bot. Northern U.S. (ed. 5) 416 Polygonum acre..(Water Smartweed).
1928 Jrnl. Mammalogy 9 219 The parts of the seeds that were discarded include the outer shell of barberry,..water smartweed, and wheat.
2003 Weed Sci. 51 691/1 Abundance of water smartweed..was related to sand content and soil phosphorous concentration.
water sorrel n. now rare any of various sorrels (genus Rumex) that grow by streams and in ditches, esp. R. aquaticus and R. hydrolapathus; cf. water dock n. [Compare Middle French, French †parelle d'eau and German Wasserampfer (both 1554 in a Dutch context in the passage translated in quot. 1578).]
ΚΠ
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball v. ix. sig. Aaaiiij The fifth kind, which groweth in ditches..is called in Englishe, Great Sorrel, Water Sorrel, and Horse Sorrel.
1717 Atlas Geographus V. 255/1 The leaves resemble those of water-sorrel.
1922 Amer. Educator (new ed.) VII. 3347/2 Of the other varieties, the most common are mountain, switch and water sorrel.
water-speedwell n. [ < water n. + speedwell n., probably after post-classical Latin veronica aquatica (1680)] any of several speedwells (genus Veronica) that grow in or near shallow water; esp. V. anagallis-aquatica (with blue flowers), V. catenata (with pink, blue, or white flowers), and common brooklime, V. beccabunga.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Scrophulariaceae (figwort and allies) > [noun] > Veronica or speedwell
lemkea1300
God's eye?a1350
waterlink?a1425
brooklimea1450
fluellin1548
Paul's betony1548
wood-penny1570
water pimpernel1575
ground-hele1578
speedwell1578
wild germander1578
germander chickweed1597
leper's herb1600
lime-wort1666
water purpy1683
water-speedwell1690
beccabunga1706
rock speedwell1719
Welsh speedwell1731
germander speedwell1732
St. Paul's betony1736
vernal speedwell1796
wall speedwell1796
cat's-eye1817
wellink1826
skull-cap1846
forget-me-not1853
veronica1855
angels' eyes1862
horse-cress1879
faverel1884
St. Paul's betony1884
1690 J. Ray Synopsis Methodica Stirpium Brit. 120 Veronica aquatica longifolia media... The middle long-leaved Water-Speedwell.
1858 A. Irvine Handbk. Brit. Plants 49 The earliest Water-speedwell is the Common Brooklime (Veronica Beccabunga).
2011 N. Romanowski Wetland Weeds iv. 116 Blue water-speedwell..and pink water-speedwell..are upright herbs of seasonally flooded places, growing to around 1 metre high.
water spinach n. an aquatic morning glory, Ipomoea aquatica, widespread in the tropics and used as a leaf vegetable in East Asian cooking.
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1941 G. A. C. Herklots Veg. Cultiv. Hong Kong 47 (heading) Water spinach or swamp cabbage.
1991 F. J. Simoons Foods in China v. 140 Of special interest in Chi Han's account are the floating reed rafts on which water spinach was cultivated.
2007 Daily Tel. (Austral.) (Nexis) 28 Aug. 30 Cut the stems off the water spinach and save them.
water star n. rare = water starwort n.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > water starwort
starwort1597
callitriche1601
water star1816
1816 J. C. G. Baumgarten Enumeratio Stirpium Magno Transsilvaniae Principatui I. 6 Callitriche..Water-star.
1901 C. T. Mohr Plant Life Alabama 432 Callitriche heterophylla (water star).
water stargrass n. any of various mud plantains (genus Heteranthera), esp. the yellow-flowered H. dubia of North and Central America.
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1824 Z. Thompson Gazetteer Vermont ii. 23/2 (table) Water stargrass.
1957 Fassett's Man. Aquatic Plants (rev. ed.) 173 Water Star Grass..Closely resembles a Potamogeton.
2010 D. N. Dreese America's Nat. Places: East & Northeast 40 The shallow depth of the water allows for sunlight to hit the..sandy bottom, which supports the growth of rare plants such as water stargrass.
water starwort n. any of the small aquatic or mud-dwelling plants that constitute the genus Callitriche (family Plantaginaceae), having thread-like stems, small leaves, and flowers lacking a perianth.
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1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 681 There is likewise another herbe of small reckoning that floteth vpon the water called Stellaria aquatica or water Starwoort.
1751 J. Hill Gen. Nat. Hist. II. 155 Great tufts of them [sc. stalks] usually appear together, and the upper leaves of each dispose themselves in a sort of radiated manner, so as to resemble a star; and hence it obtained the name of Stellaria Aquatica, and Water Starwort, among the ordinary botanical writers.
1845 Penny Cycl. Suppl. I. 271/1 They are water-plants with smooth leaves, and are known by the name of Water-starworts.
2009 Irish Naturalists' Jrnl. 30 155/1 An introductory section leads the reader through the alchemy that is water-starwort identification.
water-target n. U.S. (now rare) = water shield n.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > other aquatic plants
sea-purslane1548
frog-bit1578
heartwort1578
milkwort1578
water dragon1578
water-liverwort1578
water milfoil1578
water milfoil1578
water radish1578
arrowhead1597
saltwort1597
water archer1597
calla1601
water-rocket1605
sea rocket1611
water archer1617
water chickweed1633
water purslane1633
arsesmart1640
water hyssop1653
water thyme1655
water serpent1659
Myriophyllum1754
least water plantain1756
mud-weed1756
Thalia1756
water-leaf1756
marsh liverwort1760
bastard plantain1762
wool-weed1765
Ruppia1770
goat's foot1773
pipewort1776
blinking chickweed1777
mudwort1789
arrowleaf1805
water-target1814
water willow1814
felwort1816
water shield1817
mermaid weed1822
mud plantain1822
hydrilla1824
blinks1835
crystalwort1846
naiad1846
waterwort1846
arrow weed1848
willow-thorn1857
lattice leaf1866
marsh flower1866
bonnet1869
lattice plant1877
sea-ash1884
alligator weed1887
water parsley1891
water hyacinth1897
lirio1926
neverwet1927
1814 J. Bigelow Florula Bostoniensis 135 Hydropeltis purpurea, Water-target..An aquatic plant..stagnant waters.
1854 H. D. Thoreau Walden 194 A lily, yellow or white..and perhaps a water-target or two.
1988 Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 75 778/1 Brasenia is commonly known as water-shield, water-target, purple bonnet, and purple wen-dock and is a cultivated food source in Japan.
water torch n. now rare common reedmace, Typha latifolia.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > a grass or grasses > reedy or aquatic grasses > [noun] > bulrush or club-rush
bulrushc1440
holrushc1440
glagol1480
cat's tail1548
reedmace1548
Typha1548
sun's brow1567
marsh beetle1578
marsh pestle1578
mat-rush1578
pole rush1578
water torch1578
water cat's-tail1597
ditch-down1611
doda1661
club-rush1677
deer-hair1777
club-grass1787
draw-ling1795
raupo1823
tule1837
boulder1847
blackheads1850
cat-o'-nine-tails1858
flax-tail1861
bull-sedge1879
mace reed1901
totora1936
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball iv. liii. 513 Turner calleth it [sc. Typha palustris] in Englishe, Reede Mace, and Cattes tayle: to the which we may ioyne others, as Water Torche, Marche Betill, or Pestill, and Dunche downe, bycause the downe of this herbe will cause one to be deafe.
1682 J. P. tr. H. Ludolf New Hist. Ethiopia i. viii. 45 They make use of little Cock-boats made of thick Water-torch.
1874 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. (rev. ed.) 1229/1 Water Torch. Typha latifolia.
1975 Econ. Bot. 29 7 Cattails, also called reed mace, cattail-flag, flag tule, water torch, candlewick, or bulrush.
water trefoil n. now rare buckbean, Menyanthes trifoliata (also called marsh trefoil).
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > buckbean
buck-bean1578
marsh clover1597
marsh trefoil1597
water trefoil1597
bog bean1785
threefold1788
water trefoil1860
bog hop1866
bog trefoil1884
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. cccclxxxi. 1024 (heading) Of Water Trefoile, or Bucks Beanes.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry 144 In Hampshire they sell Water-Trefoil as dear as Hops, and say that it doth upon all accounts as well.
1877 Trans. Geol. Soc. Glasgow 5 97 The water trefoil..no doubt grew in the marshes.
1902 Philadelphia Med. Jrnl. 22 Nov. 795/1 Water trefoil or menyanthus has been used in dyspepsia, headache, migraine, neurasthenia, liver disease, [etc.].
water tupelo n. a large tree of swampy areas of the south-eastern United States, Nyssa aquatica (family Nyssaceae), with pointed oval leaves, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers, purple fruits, and often having a trunk which is swollen at the base.
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1806 B. M'Mahon Amer. Gardener's Cal. 591 Hardy Deciduous Trees and Shrubs... Nyssa denticulata. Water Tupelo Tree.
1920 F. C. Pellett Amer. Honey Plants 263 The water-gum, or Southern black-gum (Nyssa biflora), also called water tupelo, has a swollen base.
2014 Savannah Morning News (Georgia) (Nexis) 5 Mar. The old growth bald cypress—water tupelo swamp supports migration in the Savannah River corridor for species including the federally endangered Wood Stork.
water violet n. an aquatic plant of northern Eurasia with feathery submerged leaves and mauve-tinged white flowers, Hottonia palustris (family Primulaceae); (also) a related plant with smaller flowers, H. inflata, of North America. [Compare Dutch waterviolier (1554 in the passage translated in quot. 1578); compare water gillyflower n.]
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > aquatic, marsh, and sea-shore plants > [noun] > feather-foil
water gillyflower1578
water violet1578
water yarrow1597
water milfoil1760
feather-foil1776
water feather1818
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. lxxi. 105 (caption) Viola Palustris. Water violet, or Gyllofer [Fr. gyroflées d'eau, Du. water-filieren].
1785 T. Martyn tr. J.-J. Rousseau Lett. Elements Bot. xvi. 183 Water Violet has a salver-shaped corol not fringed.
1811 Encycl. Londinensis (new ed.) X. 427/2 The common water-violet may be propagated in deep standing waters, by dropping the seeds, as soon as they are ripe, into the water where they are designed to grow.
1980 M. Shoard Theft of Countryside ii. ix. 84 Water violets, frogbit and kingcups..splash the whole area with colour.
2001 Water Gardening Oct. 32/2 The water violet..[is] one of the few free flowering oxygenators with its foliage remaining below the water surface.
water yarrow n. now rare any of various aquatic or waterside plants with finely divided (usually submerged) leaves (cf. water milfoil n. 1), as (in early use) water crowfoot (genus Ranunculus), water dropwort (genus Oenanthe), and (in later use) water violet (genus Hottonia).
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1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. ci. 142 Under the title of Stratiotes, that is to say, knights woundworte, or Water yearrow [Fr. Herbe militaire, Du. Ruyters cruyt], Dioscorides describeth twoo herbes, well knowen in this countrie.
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. ci. 142 Water Milfoyle or Yearrow.
1789 J. Pilkington View Derbyshire I. viii. 348 Hottonia palustris. Water Violet. Water Yarrow.
1936 N. L. Britton & A. Brown Illustr. Flora Northern U.S. (ed. 2) II. 710 Hottonia inflata... American featherfoil... Called also water-feather, water-violet, water-yarrow.
C10. Designating plants and plant parts, esp. fruits, which contain abundant watery juice or sap.See also watermelon n., water vine n.
water apple n. †(a) the sweetsop or sugar apple, Annona squamosa, of tropical America (obsolete); (b) any of several tropical Asian trees of the genus Syzygium (family Myrtaceae), esp. S. aqueum; the fruit of any of these trees; cf. rose apple n. 2.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular fruit-tree or -plant > [noun] > tropical or exotic fruit-tree or -plant > of tropical America > sweet-sop tree
sweet-sop1696
water apple1696
sugar-apple1739
purple apple1754
custard tree1760
sweet-apple1760
sugar-sop1847
1696 H. Sloane Catal. Plantarum in Jamaica 205 Water-Apple, or Sweet-Apple.
1823 G. Crabb Universal Technol. Dict. at Apple Water apple, the Annona of Linnæus.
1907 G. P. Wilder Fruits Hawaiian Islands I. 24 Eugenia alba (white variety). Water apple.
1965 Indian Jrnl. Hort. 22 87 With a view to combining the delightful fragrance and sweet taste of rose apple and seedlessness and profuse fruiting habit of the white variety of water apple, a cross was made.
2012 D. Quammen Spillover lxx. 324 An infected bat feeds on a water apple, discarding the pulp (as bats do), which is besmeared with virus.
water lemon n. now rare the fruit of any of several American species of passion flower, esp. that of Passiflora laurifolia, which has a mildly acidic and very juicy pulp; (also) any of these plants.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular types of fruit > [noun] > tropical exotic fruit > passion-fruits or granadillas
maracock1609
granadilla1613
water lemon1670
passion fruit1752
mayapple1775
sweet calabash1840
May-pop1851
1670 J. Ogilby America ii. 71 The Water-Lemmons..are about the bigness of an indifferent Cabbage.
1785 T. Martyn tr. J.-J. Rousseau Lett. Elements Bot. xxvii. 427 Another sort, called Water Lemon in the West-Indies, has an agreeable acid flavour in the pulp of the fruit.
1967 R. Bryans Trinidad & Tobago iii. 84 The extravagant pattern of extravagantly shaped leaves, of..Java plum and water lemon, would make the most elaborate wallpapers of William Morris..look as wan as Rossetti's women.
1997 J. G. Vaughan & C. Geissler New Oxf. Bk. Food Plants 104/1 Some other species of Passiflora are utilized in a minor way... These include water lemon (P. laurifolia).
water withe n. now rare a water vine of tropical America, Vitis tiliifolia.
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the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > climbing or creeping plants > non-British climbing or creeping plants > [noun] > American or West Indian
water withy1559
West Indian China-root1577
savannah flower1696
water withe1696
Spanish woodbine1731
potato vine1750
Indian grass1753
seven-year vine1756
tropaeolum1759
woodbine1760
water vine1774
canariensis1835
Philodendron1840
Monstera1858
twig-climber1900
money bush1924
potato creeper1925
sweetheart plant1963
1696 H. Sloane Catal. Plantarum in Jamaica 172 Wild Vine or Water-with.
1756 P. Browne Civil & Nat. Hist. Jamaica ii. ii. 178 Water-withe. The withe of this grape-vine..is so full of juice, that a junk of about 3 feet will yield near a pint of clear tasteless water.
1856 T. E. Lynch Wonders of W. Indies v. 37 Here and there, in some silent glen, or perhaps in a dry river-bed, grows that large reed the water-withe, twisting and trailing from one shrub to another.
1913 J. Tellman Pract. Hotel Steward (ed. 4) 178/1 Other distinct species in this country are found to be local, such as the..Vitis Caribaea,..also known as water withe.
† water withy n. Obsolete rare (a) = mountain siler n. at mountain n. and adj. Compounds 2d; (b) = water withe n.
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1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 183 For them ad Fenell, Ueruin, Eybright, Betony, water wythy of the mountayne [L. siler montanum], and Endiue.
1796 J. G. Stedman Narr. Exped. Surinam I. xi. 266 Some other negroes found means to relieve themselves from the water-withy... The water-withy is a kind of very thick nebee of the vine species.
1855 H. G. Dalton Hist. Brit. Guiana II. 206 Water vine, or water withy.
C11. Medicine. Forming names of pathological conditions and lesions.
water bladder n. now rare (a) a soft swelling or fluid-filled cyst, esp. one associated with fascioliasis or hydatid disease in sheep; (b) a blister or vesicle on the skin, esp. when filled with colourless fluid. [Compare Dutch waterblader (1573), Old High German wazzarblātara (Middle High German wazzerblāter, German Wasserblatter), both now rare.]
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > eruption > [noun] > spot of > blister
bladderc1000
blistera1400
blurec1440
blurrea1529
water wheal1530
vesication1543
phlycten1585
psydracium1585
water bladder1587
bleb1607
phlyzacium1693
bullule1707
vesicle1799
pompholyx1808
water blister1821
blab1861
bulla1877
papulovesicle1877
vesicula1877
dermoid1897
1587 L. Mascall First Bk. Cattell iii. 243 Some sheep wil haue a water bladder vnder their chin, which ye shall feele to be soft, which wil breed in moist times of winter by feeding on moist places.
1657 N. Culpeper & W. Rand tr. J. Riolan Sure Guide v. i. 211 If the distemper be with Humor it makes the Skin rough or swollen, whence springs the Scab,..Tetters, Itch, Pustles, Blains, Water-Bladders [L. Hydroa], Yellow-Blisters, Warts, [etc.].
a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1757) 336 A sheep which is cored, after it has been so a year, will have a water bladder, as big as an egg, under its throat.
1872 Country Gentleman's Mag. 8 250/1 It was not till 1852 that a German pathologist made the discovery that those clusters were mere tapeworms, and that the water bladder found in the intestines of the sheep, and frequently on the brain, is derived from the eggs of the tapeworm.
1910 M. C. Hall Gid Parasite i. 10 The article takes up a long list of supposed causes of gid and rejects them, the water bladder in the head being held guilty of causing the trouble.
1996 E. Lovelace Salt ii. 17 Dixon had gone on digging with the space, water-bladders forming and bursting on his hands.
water-bleb n. now rare a blister or vesicle of the skin filled with reddish or colourless fluid; (also) (in plural) †the condition of having such vesicles (cf. pompholyx n. 2) (obsolete).
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of visible parts > skin disorders > [noun] > pemphigus
pemphigus1779
pemphix1801
water-bleb1801
1801 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 6 300 Pompholyx (Water Blebs).
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 605 Solitary water-bleb.
1912 Coll. Papers Mayo Clin. 3 493 Some cases..present extreme effusion and swelling, with water-blebs and ecchymosis of the skin.
water blister n. a blister or vesicle on the skin, esp. one containing colourless fluid (cf. blood blister n. at blood n. Compounds 5).figurative in quot. 1895.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > eruption > [noun] > spot of > blister
bladderc1000
blistera1400
blurec1440
blurrea1529
water wheal1530
vesication1543
phlycten1585
psydracium1585
water bladder1587
bleb1607
phlyzacium1693
bullule1707
vesicle1799
pompholyx1808
water blister1821
blab1861
bulla1877
papulovesicle1877
vesicula1877
dermoid1897
1821 P. Donaldson Rev. Present Syst. Med. & Chirurg. 262 Inflammatory eruptions, effusions of blood under the skin, biles, pustules, water blisters, black sores, [etc.].
1895 R. Kipling Red Dog in Second Jungle Bk. 201 Here would be a heaving mound, like a water-blister in a whirlpool.
1900 J. Hutchinson Arch. Surg. 11 259 Vesications (‘water-blisters’ was the patient's term) broke out.
2005 Z. Smith On Beauty 440 Water blisters that would surely have formed by the time he reached the gallery.
water brash n. reflux or regurgitation of gastric contents, heartburn (now rare); (in later use also) excessive saliva in the mouth (as a response to such reflux).
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > digestive disorders > [noun] > reflux or regurgitation
upbraiding1541
regurgitation1601
reflux1630
water brash1757
pyrosis1772
rumination1772
water-brash1811
merycism1857
1757 A. von Haller Disputationes ad morborum historiam et curationem facientes I. 523 Hoc tempore quoque plerumque urgere solet cardialgia cum aquæ rejectione (Angl. Water-brash) & ructu acido.
1807 R. Reece Med. Guide (ed. 4) 531 The Water Brash. This disease..is very prevalent in Scotland and Ireland.
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. I. 124 In the colloquial tongue of England it is called black-water, in that of Scotland water-brash and water-qualm.
2000 R. C. Orlando Gastroesophageal Reflux Dis. iv. 102 Water brash, a salty or sour fluid in the mouth, results from excess salivary gland production in response to intraesophageal acid exposure.
water canker n. now historical ulceration of or involving the mouth; (in later use) spec. = noma n.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of mouth > [noun] > stomatitis
water canker1589
stomacace1657
canker sore1849
stomatitis1859
Ludwig's angina1876
tylosis1890
Vincent1902
trench mouth1916
1589 J. Banister Antidotarie Chyrurg. (heading) 146 A Gargarisme for vlceration in the mouth called water Canker.
1612 P. Lowe Art Chirurg. (ed. 2) v. xxxiii. 200 Those Pustules and Ulcers which oftentimes possesse the vpper part of the mouth and gums, are named by the Greekes Apthe,..in vulgar the water Canker.
1630 J. Makluire Buckler of Bodilie Health 125 The infirmities of babes, are pustuls in the roofe of the mouth, called the water canker, vomiting, cough, [etc.].
1877 F. T. Roberts Handbk. Med. (ed. 3) I. 291 Water Canker is a very rare, but dangerous form of stomatitis.
2003 Brit. Jrnl. Plastic Surg. 56 525/1 ‘Mouth canker’ and ‘water canker’ were the popular names for the facial gangrene both in English and Dutch several centuries ago.
water dropsy n. now historical and rare the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity; = ascites n.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of abdomen or diaphragm > [noun] > dropsy
ascitesa1398
bottle dropsy1562
water dropsy1566
1566 T. Blundeville Order curing Horses Dis. xci. f. 65, in Fower Offices Horsemanshippe The Timpany..may be called in Englishe the winde Dropsye, and the other the water Dropsye.
1671 J. Archer Every Man his own Doctor viii. 136 When the waterish humor is collected in the Abdomen it is called Ascites, or the Water Dropsie.
1767 J. Towers Brit. Biogr. III. 61/2 (note) He was troub'ed [sic] vino intercute, with the wine dropsy, and not aqua intercute, with the water dropsy.
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 432 Making an artificial opening into the cavity of the abdomen in the case of wind-dropsy, as well as in that of water-dropsy.
1914 Jrnl. Compar. Pathol. & Therapeutics 27 118 Quoting Pelagonius, he [sc. Blundeville] thinks that if water dropsy can occur so can wind dropsy.
† water-farcin n. Obsolete a disease of horses attributed to grazing in damp pastures, and said to be characterized by swelling under the belly and jaws (not identified); cf. farcin n. a.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > animal disease or disorder > disorders of horses > [noun] > glanders, strangles, or farcy
farcina1425
mourning of (also on) the chinec1465
farcy1481
strangullion1481
stranyelourc1500
vives?1523
(the) glanders1530
yves1578
avives1600
strangles1600
chine1607
strangle1607
fivesa1616
chine-evil1630
chine-gall1630
chine-glanders1630
mortechien1635
water-farcin1665
vees1672
1665 in D. Yaxley Researcher's Gloss. Hist. Documents E. Anglia (2003) 76 Dressing & cureing the sorrold horse of the water facines & stranglings.
1681 E. R. Experienced Farrier (ed. 2) Table sig. Hhh4v/1 Water Farcin cometh to a Horse by his feeding upon low Watery Grounds.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Farcin or Water-Farcin, a Swelling under a Horse's Belly and Chaps, caus'd by his Feeding in Low Watery Grounds.
1807 H. J. Pye Sportsman's Dict. (ed. 5) 137/1 Water-farcin..has no resemblance to a true farcy, it is really a dropsy.
† water garget n. Obsolete a disease of livestock, esp. sheep (probably fascioliasis); (also) inflammatory swelling of the udder; cf. garget n.2
ΚΠ
1826 P. Jewett New-Eng. Farrier (new ed.) 55 The symptoms of the Water Garget, Are sinking eyes, of a yellow cast.
1882 Country Gentleman's Mag. 10 155/2 Water Garget. This is seen by a swelling of the udder, which becomes large and flesh-like.
1888 17th Ann. Rep. Board Agric. 1887–8 (New Hampsh. Dept. Agric.) 149 Sheep soon succumb with liver-fluke and ulceration of the bowels, accompanied by..water garget under the jaws.
† water murrain n. Obsolete rare a disease of cattle characterized by subcutaneous swelling (possibly anthrax or gas gangrene).
ΚΠ
1676 J. Lambert Country-man's Treasure xvi. 16 A good Receipt for the Water Murrain. This Disease cometh of Rankness of Blood, and chiefly it taketh those that are young..; this Disease is easie to find out, for they do swell on the Back and both sides the Chine.
1708 J. Kersey Dict. Anglo-Britannicum Water-Murrain, a Disease in black Cattel.
† water-pang n. Obsolete reflux or regurgitation of gastric contents; an episode of this.
ΚΠ
1607 E. Sharpham Cupids Whirligig sig. G2 Shee's dayly troubled with water panges.
1633 J. Ford 'Tis Pitty shee's Whore iii. sig. F1 Am I at these yeeres ignorant, what the meaning's of Quames, and Waterpangs be?
1783 Crit. Rev. Aug. 96 The pyrosis, a disease known in England by the name of water-pang, has been seldom treated of.
1845 Provinc. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 2 Apr. 210/1 A patient..had had slight pains in the hypogastric region, and ‘water pangs’ of the stomach for five months previously.
† water-pox n. Obsolete chickenpox (varicella). [Compare Dutch water pocken (1679 in a Latin context in the passage translated in quot. 1694), German Wasserpocken (1709 or earlier), now rare.]
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of visible parts > eruptive diseases > [noun] > chickenpox
swinepox1528
chickenpox1691
varicella1771
water-pox1782
wart-pock1873
1694 W. Salmon tr. Y. van Diemerbroeck Anat. Human Bodies (new ed.) ii. 4/2 The others are clear and large, transparent like Water or Chrystal, and containing a certain Watry kind of Liquor, which the Dutch call Wint-Pocken, and some Water-pocken.]
1782 J. Aitken Elements Theory & Pract. Physic & Surg. I. ii. 352 Species of Variola, according to Sauvages, are, 1. Variola lymphatica... Water-pox.
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. II. 600 Emphlysis Varicella. Water-pox.
water stroke n. [ < water n. + stroke n.1, after German Wasserschlag (1791 or earlier)] now rare sudden and severe increase of intracranial pressure, esp. as a result of meningitis.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of nervous system > [noun] > disorders of brain > inflammation of brain > meningitis
spotted fever1623
water stroke1821
meningitis1824
cerebro-spinal fever or meningitis1901
choriomeningitis1934
1821 R. Gooch tr. L. A. Golis Treat. Hydrocephalus Acutus 7 The diagnosis of the water-stroke [Ger. des Wasserschlages] may be easily deduced from the symptoms of the third and fourth stages of the acute hydrocephalus.
1881 Amer. Jrnl. Med. Sci. 81 100 Soon after symptoms of inflammation of the brain declared themselves, and the patient died the next day, presenting the indications of water stroke (serous apoplexy).
1909 J. H. Kellogg Home Bk. Mod. Med. II. 1415 In some cases the patient dies very suddenly from a rapid accumulation of water in the brain, known as water-stroke.
† water wheal n. Obsolete rare a blister (blister n.1 1).
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > eruption > [noun] > spot of > blister
bladderc1000
blistera1400
blurec1440
blurrea1529
water wheal1530
vesication1543
phlycten1585
psydracium1585
water bladder1587
bleb1607
phlyzacium1693
bullule1707
vesicle1799
pompholyx1808
water blister1821
blab1861
bulla1877
papulovesicle1877
vesicula1877
dermoid1897
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 287/1 Water whele in ones hande, bubette.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

waterv.

Brit. /ˈwɔːtə/, U.S. /ˈwɔdər/, /ˈwɑdər/
Forms: early Old English watrode (past tense), early Old English wetrian (Mercian, in prefixed forms), Old English sæteorode (past tense, transmission error), Old English wæterian, Old English wæteterian (transmission error), Old English wætrian (rare), Old English wætyrian (in prefixed forms), late Old English weterian (Kentish), early Middle English watrie (south-east midlands), early Middle English wattrenn ( Ormulum), early Middle English watttrenn ( Ormulum, probably transmission error), early Middle English wectrien (south-west midlands, perhaps transmission error), Middle English evaterd (past participle), Middle English watere, Middle English waterred (past participle), Middle English watery, Middle English watir, Middle English watire, Middle English watrd (past participle, perhaps transmission error), Middle English watre, Middle English watry, Middle English wattere, Middle English wattir, Middle English wattre, Middle English wattur, Middle English watur, Middle English watyr, Middle English wetery, Middle English–1500s watter, Middle English– water, 1500s–1700s watr- (inflected form); Scottish pre-1700 uatter, pre-1700 vattyr, pre-1700 waltir, pre-1700 1700s– water, pre-1700 1800s– watter, pre-1700 1900s– wattir. N.E.D. (1909) also records a form Middle English weteri.
Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.
Etymology: Cognate with or formed similarly to Old Frisian wetria , rare (West Frisian wetterje ), Middle Dutch wateren , weteren (Dutch wateren ), Middle Low German wateren , weteren , Middle High German wezzern , (rare) wazzern (German wässern ; regional also wassern ) < the Germanic base of water n. Compare Old Icelandic vatna, Old Swedish vatna (Swedish vattna), Old Danish watne (Danish vande).In Old English the prefixed form gewæterian (compare y- prefix) is also attested in various senses (considerably earlier than the unprefixed form in sense 11a). With sense 11f compare similar use of French arroser , lit. ‘to water’ (1915 in this sense: see arrouse v.); compare German (jemanden) mit (etwas) überschütten, lit. ‘to pour (something) over (someone)’ (16th cent. with reference to water; 17th cent. with reference to missile weapons, initially arrows).
I. To provide with water to sustain life or growth, and related senses.
1.
a. transitive. To give water to (an animal, esp. a horse on a journey) to drink; (also) to take (cattle) to the water to drink. Also in extended use: to give water or another drink to (a person or group of people).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > providing or serving drink > supplying with water > [verb (transitive)] > to animals
waterOE
OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) xxix. 3 Hi awylton ðone stan of þam pytte & heora orf þær wæterodon [L. refectis gregibus].
a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 9 Hwa is þet mei þet hors wectrien [perh. read wettrien] þe him self nule drinken.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2745 Ðor he comen water to feten, And for to wattren here sep.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 5685 (MED) Þai com to wattur þar þair fee.
c1450 (a1375) Octavian (Calig.) (1979) l. 1429 (MED) Darst þou ryde vpon þys best To þe ryuere, And watre hym þat þou ne falle?
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxxiiv Broken wynded..cometh of ronnynge or ryding ouer moche, and specially shortly after he is watred.
a1525 ( Coventry Leet Bk. (1908) II. 459 The people of this Citie..euer haue vsed tyll nowe late to water theire horsses at the seid pole.
1604 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Acosta Nat. & Morall Hist. Indies iv. xvi. 255 In those countries, they vse to water their horses before they eate, for if they should drinke after, they would swell as when they eate wheat.
a1639 T. Dekker et al. Witch of Edmonton (1658) iii. i. 25 Get my horse dress'd: give him Oats; but water him not till I come.
1729 P. Walkden Diary 29 Oct. (1866) (modernized text) 62 I..then foddered and watered our Seed heifer.
a1798 T. Pennant Tour on Continent (1948) 89 A famished one layed hold of the nose of a mule which its rider was watering in the Rhone.
1858 R. S. Surtees Ask Mamma lxxvii. 336 He pulled up at the sign of the Hold-away Harriers to get his mare watered and fed.
1885 Chester (Pa.) Times 18 June 3/4 Watering the jury is their most important duty on a hot day.
1891 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Sydney-side Saxon i Work every day of the year except Sundays, and the beasts to be fed and watered then.
1908 Animal Managem. (War Office) 289 It has been said that if a desert camel is frequently watered he loses his power of abstinence for long periods.
1940 J. Buchan Memory Hold-the-Door v. 125 We watered our horses and went supperless to bed.
1994 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 11 June 11 A kindly high-complexioned old chap well fed and watered on beef and claret.
2013 North West Star (Austral.) (Nexis) 4 Apr. 3 A poor wet season has left graziers unable to feed and water their cattle on their own properties.
b. figurative.
(a) transitive. In various figurative uses and contexts; esp. to nourish or satisfy (a person or group) spiritually; to educate.
ΚΠ
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Nov. 30 Nay, better learne of hem, that learned bee, And han be watered at the Muses well.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) ii. iii. 21 And Phœbus gins arise, His Steeds to water at those Springs on chalic'd Flowres that lyes. View more context for this quotation
1654 A. Johnston Diary (1919) II. 267 God's consolations..ar a fountayne,..and they ar tuyse a mercy in wattering ourselves and inaibling us to watter uthers.
1773 J. Berridge Christian World Unmasked 73 Bible-knowledge, fetched in by prayer, and watered well with meditation, makes the mind humble and serious.
1826 W. Jay Christian Contemplated in Course Lect. iv. 117 Nothing can be more painful to the feelings of a minister, when he comes to water his flock, than to find many of them not at the well.
1898 G. Meredith Napoleon 27 For even a hope in chained desire The vision of it watered thirst.
1904 C. E. Orr Gospel Day ii. ii. 417 Their preaching does not feed and water their flock.
1992 Denver Post 29 Mar. 15 b O'Neal has a responsibility to himself, a primary responsibility to expand his mind and his horizons by watering his thirst for knowledge.
†(b) transitive. slang. To give free food, drink, and entertainment to; = treat v. 9a. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > social event > hospitality > show hospitality to [verb (transitive)]
gestena1300
lodgec1325
cherishc1330
guestc1330
to give cheera1393
harbry14..
callc1430
uptakea1470
recueil1477
host1485
entertain1490
to set forth1526
harbour1534
retainc1540
treata1578
water1742
sport1826
have1868
hospitize1895
1742 P. Yorke Let. 15 Dec. in G. Harris Life Ld. Hardwicke (1847) II. vii. 43 Charles is watring the Quorum of Bennet, ten miles round; or, to speak less quaintly, is treating away at Cambridge.
c. intransitive. Of a person or animal: to drink water; to obtain water to drink.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (intransitive)] > drink water
water1600
1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xxvii. 663 Hee..sent out presently to the river where they used to water [L. aquabantur], to see if they might..light upon some [enemies].
1607 T. Dekker & J. Webster West-ward Hoe ii. i. sig. C By Hipocrene I sweare, (which was a certaine Well where all the Muses watred).
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica i. iv. 13 When some young Thessalians on horsebacke were beheld a farre off, while their horses watered,..they were conceived..to be but one animall. View more context for this quotation
1679 J. Davies tr. Appian Hist. ii. iv. 205 They watered at a River, he at a Well which himself dug.
1749 T. Smollett tr. A. R. Le Sage Gil Blas I. To Rdr. p. vii Some letters, already somewhat effaced by time, and the feet of flocks that came to water at the fountain.
1839 Lady Lytton Cheveley III. ii. 54 In the back-ground of the picture cattle were watering in a lake.
1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer xix In the event of a dry season..the cattle habitually watering there would..betake themselves to the ‘frontage’.
1938 Sci. Agric. Dec. 179 During the winter season the cattle watered at the river.
1988 P. Dearen Castle Gap & Pecos Frontier 6 The men watered at Mustang Water Holes and continued toward the gap through the night.
2009 R. S. Wheeler North Star xxi. 175 The lowing of the cattle wrought a constant sound, almost a wail, as the animals watered and spread out on thin grass.
d. intransitive. To give animals water to drink; to lead animals to a stream of water or other drinking place.
ΚΠ
1650 J. Trapp Clavis to Bible (Gen. xxvi. 15) 206 They deprived themselves of the benefit of those Wells, so that Isaac might not water at them.
1730 W. Burdon Gentleman's Pocket-farrier 26 Ever make it a standing Rule to water on the Way before you arrive at the baiting Place.
1842 C. Dickens Amer. Notes II. vi. 151 We often stop to water at a roadside inn.
1983 ‘F. Parrish’ Bait on Hook vi. 79 Half a dozen stable-lads who were feeding, watering, or mucking out.
2008 M. A. Powell Prince Alley Em 305 Always water before feeding unless water is kept in the stall.
2.
a. transitive. To supply (a company on a journey, an army on the march) with water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > [verb (transitive)] > supply with water
waterOE
wet1382
overwater1645
the world > food and drink > drink > providing or serving drink > supplying with water > [verb (transitive)]
waterOE
OE Lambeth Psalter lxxvii. 15 Interrupit petram in cremo et adaquauit eos : he tobræc stan on westene & he wæterode hig [eOE Vespasian Psalter gewetrade hie].
c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring Earliest Compl. Eng. Prose Psalter (1891) lxxvii. 18 He brake þe stone in desert, and watered hem [a1382 Wycliffite, E.V. watride þem, a1400 Vesp. D.vii watred am; L. adaquavit eos] as in michel depenes.
1591 W. Garrard & R. Hitchcock Arte of Warre vi. 349 If there be no great Riuers, but only small Fountaines or Wels to water your Armie, then must good watch be kept.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vii. 301 He payed fiue Sultans of gold for Watering all vs and the Beasts.
1748 tr. Life Augustus Cæsar I. xli. 142 He had likewise drawn..a line of about four hundred paces, to the river, to water his army with security.
1898 Daily News 8 Mar. 3/2 It should be easy to water troops at fixed intervals.
1984 D. Clark Dead Let. vii. 185 Everybody is to be fed and watered for a move at nine.
2007 Monterey County (California) Herald (Nexis) 21 June These troops gas up and fix the vehicles, feed and water the troops.., and all the other homely chores that keep an army in the field.
b. transitive. To provide (a boat, a fleet) with a supply of fresh water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > providing or serving drink > supplying with water > [verb (intransitive)] > take water on ship
water1589
the world > food and drink > drink > providing or serving drink > supplying with water > [verb (transitive)] > to ship
water1589
1589 Summarie Drakes W. Indian Voy. 42 After three dayes spent in watering our ships we departed.
1620 in W. Foster Eng. Factories India 1618–21 (1906) 215 Shee waighed [into the] road, and was by them watered, cawked, and supplied with [etc.].
1696 Tryals Several Piracies & Robberies 20 At Madagascar they watered their Ship, and got Provisions, and Cows to salt up.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson i. v. 42 Our next employment was wooding and watering our squadron.
1793 Ld. Nelson in Dispatches & Lett. (ed. 2) I. 322 Lord Hood has gone to water the Fleet.
1844 Mrs. Houstoun Texas & Gulf of Mexico II. 252 Our last act and deed before we left Galveston, was watering and victualling the Dolphin.
1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! xiii He seized the town..and watered his ship triumphantly at the enemy's wells.
1918 R. Berkeley & J. Dixon Oilskin Packet xxii. 242 I'm going to anchor close up to the islet, as soon as the mate has done watering the ship.
1960 Naut. Mag. Feb. 74 All hands were informed accordingly, and put to work provisioning and watering the boats.
2011 R. Harris in S. Hales & J. Paul Pompeii in Public Imagination xxii. 332 The Pompeii aqueduct..was probably finishing there to water the fleet that brought Pliny in.
c. intransitive. Of a ship, ship's company, etc.: to take on board a store of fresh water.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > shipbuilding and repairing > [verb (intransitive)] > take on stores or water
water1589
recruit1653
1589 Voy. W. Towrson in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations i. 113 Wee tolde them that we had not watered.
1611 W. Adams Let. in T. Rundall Mem. Japon (1850) 19 But, for refreshing of our men we waited, watering and taking in of wood.
1666 London Gaz. No. 97/3 The Armada is certainly come into Cadiz, some say to water.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson i. v. 45 The French..usually wooded and watered in Bon Port.
1790 J. White Jrnl. Voy. New S. Wales 13 We..gained permission to water, and procure such refreshments as the island [sc. Teneriffe] afforded.
1839 F. Marryat Phantom Ship II. xxi. 210 The Utrecht..watered, and proceeded on her voyage.
1898 P. Manson Trop. Dis. xviii. 306 The recurrence of epidemics of dysentery in the crews of ships which have watered at polluted sources.
1919 B. A. Williams All Brothers were Valiant i. 12 Captain Mark Shore left the ship when she watered at the Gilbert Islands.
1959 Relationship with France, Eng. & Denmark (Siam Soc.) 98 This ship watered at Mauritius, but was not heard of again.
2013 J. E. Murray Charleston Orphan House viii. 162 Kearney attacked a British ship watering at North Edisto, Georgia.
d. transitive. To supply (a steam engine) with water. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > operate engine [verb (transitive)] > supply with water
water1832
1832 Jrnl. 8 May in Edinb. Rev. Oct. 61 Same engine drew 20 waggons... Stopped to water, &c. 11 minutes.
1846 S. Sidney Gauge Evid. 372 It does not take longer than the time occupied in watering the engine and shifting the train.
1898 H. E. Hamblen Gen. Manager's Story xiv. 234 The awkward attempts of the new men to get the few remaining dead engines watered and fired-up.
1916 Lancet 12 Aug. 303/1 Men should have been forbidden to leave their carriages when the train was at a halt, for watering the engine.
1967 O. Kuhler My Iron Journey vi. 49/1 A big tank watered the engines in minutes.
2005 M. L. Riskin Train stops here ii. iv. 19 In the days of the steam locomotive, the repair buildings in the railyard included..water tanks for watering the engines.
3.
a. transitive. To soak or sprinkle (a plant, crop, etc.) with water in order to encourage or maintain growth; to pour or sprinkle water on (soil, a garden, etc.) in order to promote the growth of plants or (occasionally) otherwise improve its condition (see e.g. quot. 1699). See also to water in at Phrasal verbs.Typically of a person, implying the use of a watering can, jug, hose, etc., but occasionally also of rain, the weather, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > put water into [verb (transitive)] > cover or fill with water
watereOE
flowa1382
submerge1611
flood1831
the world > food and drink > farming > gardening > management of plants > [verb (transitive)] > water
watereOE
the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or fact of pouring or being poured > pour [verb (transitive)] > water on
watereOE
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xl. 293 Sumu treowu he watrode [L. rigat], to ðæm ðæt hie ðy suiður sceolden weaxan.
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) xxi. 350 Se man ðe plantað treowa oððe wyrta swa lange he hi wæterað oð ðæt hi beoð ciðfæste.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 13864 All swa summ erþe wattredd iss. Þurrh reȝȝn & dæw off heffne.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. xxiv. 42 I seide, I shal watrin the gardyn of my plauntingus.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 21304 Þe first he tils þe feild to fede, þe toiþer he saus efter þe sede, þe thrid it harus..þe ferth it watters.
?a1425 tr. Catherine of Siena Orcherd of Syon (Harl.) (1966) 412 (MED) A disciple..was bode of his fadir, þe abbot, for to sette in þe grounde a drie tre, & of obediens euery day to watire it.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. KKiiii Be tendre ouer them, as ye wolde be ouer a noble & precious plant.., attendyng it, watryng it dilygently.
1585–7 in A. J. Crosby & J. Bruce Accts. & Papers Mary Queen of Scots (1867) 17 Richarde Garrett and John Smyth, for mindinge and wateringe the garden, xij s. ij d.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. xii. i. 358 They came to be so highly esteemed, that for to make them grow the better, men would be at the cost to water them with wine.
1662 B. Gerbier Brief Disc. Princ. Building 33 They are Watered with a Gardeners Watering-Pot.
1699 L. Meager New Art of Gardening 130 To destroy Worms and other Insects,..water your Gravel-Walks with water wherein Tobacco stalks have been boiled.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry ix. xxv. 369 Strew the Seeds pretty thick,..keeping of them well watered every Evening, except when the Season waters them.
1789 W. Cowper Negro's Complaint in Poems (new ed.) I. 402 Why did all-creating Nature Make the plant for which we toil? Sighs must fan it, tears must water, Sweat of ours must dress the soil.
1796 C. Marshall Introd. Knowl. & Pract. Gardening xix. 404/1 Water, in dry weather, much as is necessary, strawberries, cauliflowers, early cabbages [etc.].
1853 C. Dickens Bleak House xxxvii. 364 After we had finished helping the gardener in watering his flowers.
1882 Weekly Irish Times 14 Oct. 7 Water them in the morning and wet as little of the surface of the ground around each plant as possible.
1917 M. Swayne In Mesopotamia xi. 161 The swiftness with which seeds grow when properly watered is uncanny.
1953 P. G. Wodehouse Let. 25 July in Yours, Plum (1990) iv. 119 Ever since we came down here she has never ceased watering the garden.
2006 H. Williams Dear Room 6 She'll drop by to water the plants, sulk, or do a little work.
b. transitive. figurative and in figurative contexts, esp. in metaphors relating to nourishment or cultivation of belief, an idea, the development of a person, etc.
ΚΠ
OE tr. Defensor Liber Scintillarum (1969) xxxii. 229 Sermo doctrinae..quanto plus a doctore fuerit erogatus, tanto amplius duplicatur Et, cum subiecta sibi arua rigat, numquam fontis unda siccatur : spæc lare..swa micele swyþor fram lareowe byð upp ahafen swa micele ma byð getwyfeald & þænne underþeodde him land wæterað næfre wylles yð byð gedruwud.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 13848 To watttrenn [read wattrenn] & to dæwenn swa. Þurrh beȝȝske. & sallte tæress. Þatt herrte þatt..Iss..forrclungenn.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 131 Þis trau is yzet bezide þe welle of godes drede, huer-of hit is echedaye y-wetered ine wyntre and ine zomere.
c1450 Speculum Christiani (Harl. 6580) (1933) 174 (MED) Prelates be clere cloudes of heuen, for thei waterne the mendes of faythful men be swete dewe of prechynge.
a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) iii. xxi. sig. S.viiiv God..instructeth oure reason..not onelye to receyue them [sc. the spiritual affections] as engendred and planted in our soule, but also in suche wyse water them with wyse aduertisement of godly counsayle.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) v. vi. 22 I rais'd him..: who being so heighten'd, He watered his new Plants with dewes of Flattery, Seducing so my Friends. View more context for this quotation
1696 T. Comber Disc. Consecrating 352 The Apostles..planted this Faith..and watred it with their Blood.
1699 Funeral-oration upon Favorite Lady Lap-dog 9 Cou'd our Sighs inspire new Breath into him, or our Tears water the lovely Flower 'till it revived.
1785 Addr. Presbytery New-Castle to Congregations 51 He has planted a noble vine in our wilderness, cultivated and hedged it in, watered it with his Holy Spirit.
1834 F. D. Maurice Eustace Conway III. iii. 19 Then the thoughts which my mother's tears watered, came back to me, and I felt as if even I might hope.
1874 E. W. Benson Let. 16 Jan. in A. C. Benson Life of E. W. Benson (1899) I. xi. 373 You have now to water the good seed you have sown with your prayers.
1914 Mission Stud. Dec. 357/2 She may see the seed she has planted, and sometimes watered with tears, bearing immortal fruit.
1945 P. Larkin North Ship 14 Whorling notes..issuing meaningless Through written skies; a voice Watering a stony place.
2000 H. B. London & N. B. Wiseman They call me Pastor v. 221 We must water and cultivate those under our care so that our churches bloom profusely and produce abundant fruit.
c. intransitive. To pour or sprinkle water on plants to encourage or maintain growth, or on the ground to promote the growth of plants or otherwise improve its condition. Also (and earliest) figurative or in figurative contexts.
ΚΠ
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 1 Cor. iii. 6 I plauntide, Apollo watride, or moystide, but God ȝaf encresynge.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Cor. iii. A As for him that planteth, and he that watreth [Gk. ποτίζων], ye one is as the other.
1577 H. I. in tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. Pref. sig. ¶.iij To plant, to water, to set, to graffe, to leaue nothing vndone that apperteineth to the feeding & fatting of the Lords flocks.
a1715 T. Morer Fifteen Serm. (1717) vii. 162 Without this Blessing we Plant, and Water, and Sow to little Purpose.
1775 T. Ford Gospel Message Illustr. 31 As Labourers (not Loiterers) in the Vineyard, [we are] to plant, water, cultivate, and pray to the heavenly Husbandman, to give the Increase.
1846 A. Marsh Father Darcy II. ii. 43 Their blood hath watered and we shall reap.
1848 J. Cuthill Pract. Instruct. Cultiv. Potato 7 If May should be very dry,..I am obliged to water.
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. viii. 384 The ground was at last chosen [for the cricket match], and two men set to work upon it to water and roll.
1910 C. H. Tritschler & W. D. Buchanan Pract. Treat. How to Grow Flowers 93 If the ground is moist, there will be no need to water.
2001 Exotic & Greenhouse Gardening June 11/2 To..keep down weeds and reduce the need to water, groundcover plants are the gardener's best friend.
d. transitive. To supply (land or crops) with water by flooding or by means of irrigation channels; to irrigate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > irrigation > irrigate [verb (transitive)]
leachc888
water1538
irrigate1623
irriguate1632
float1649
trickle-irrigate1971
1538 T. Elyot Dict. Irriguus, the grounde or fielde that may be easyly watered.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde iii. v. f. 115v They founde manye fayre gardeyns and pleasaunte fyeldes watered with trenshes distrybuted in marueylous order.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 45v Some, where they may ouerflowe it [sc. grass], doo water it a day before they cut it.
1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. ii. iv. 95 No doubt, in regard of the fatnesse of the soile, watered with frequent ditches,..they might haue plenty of flowers and fruits.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant iii. 26 The Corn-land is never watered, because the Dew that falls plentifully in the Mornings, is sufficient for it.
1758 J. Adams tr. A. de Ulloa Voy. S.-Amer. II. i. viii. 96 By these [trenches] are watered the spacious fields of wheat and barley.
1799 A. Young Gen. View Agric. County Lincoln 275 He set to work, and built sluices, formed carrier trenches and drains; and thus watered 50 acres.
1801 Farmer's Mag. Aug. 268 To the person who shall, in a country where irrigation is not generally in practice, water the greatest number of acres.
1854 Circular (Brooklyn N. Y.) 24 Oct. 555/3 Numerous springs flowing from the foot of the bank can be turned in any direction to water the land.
1875 Jrnl. Royal Geogr. Soc. 45 xv. 387 A little higher up the river..the first irrigation canal is detached to water the land round Khodjeili.
1922 G. F. Hill Notes on North Austral. Culicidoe (Austral. Dept. Health, Service Publ. No. 21) 15 Both gardens..are watered by means of channels fed from springs arising further up the ravines.
1960 Countryman (Perth) 7 Jan. 7/2 About 800 acres cleared, well fenced and amply watered by Govt. Scheme and dams.
2003 P. B. Trawick Struggle for Water in Peru iii. 81 The two flows are combined to water the remaining lower units, including the household gardens in the village itself.
4.
a. transitive. Of a river, etc.: to provide a supply of water for (vegetation, land, a city, etc.). Also figurative and in figurative contexts. Now chiefly in passive.
ΚΠ
OE Ælfric Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Claud.) ii. 6 Ac an wyl asprang of ðære eorðan wæterigende [OE Laud wætriende] ealle ðære eorðan bradnysse.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. ii. 10 A flode ȝede out..to watter paradise þe whiche fro þenns is dyuydid in foure hedes.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 133 Nilus ouerfloweþ and watereþ al þe lond of Egipte.
1533 T. More Answere Poysened Bk. i. iii. f. vi Callynge the erth mankynd, that was made therof, beynge barayne & frutelesse but yf it be watered with ye floodes of vertue.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde ii. ix. f. 84 Ryuers..wherwith al suche trees as are planted on the stiepe or foote of the mountaynes..are watered.
1590 E. Webbe Rare & Wonderfull Things (new ed.) sig. B2v All the grounde throughout the land of Egypt is continually watred by the water which..is turned into the countries round about.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. i. 25 This Prouince is mainely watered through the middle with stately Po.
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd iv. 274 Socrates..from whose mouth issu'd forth Mellifluous streams that water'd all the schools Of Academics old and new. View more context for this quotation
1700 J. Brome Trav. i. 6 The middle parts consist of a fertile Plain, watered by the Severn.
1749 W. R. Chetwood Gen. Hist. Stage 68 This Stream of Success flowed upon them with a rapid Torrent, swelled their Pockets till they overflowed their Banks, and watered the Fields of many a Publican!
1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. IV. 166 The road lies thro' a delightful valley, which is watered by the Isse or Itch.
1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 930 Stillest streams Oft water fairest meadows.
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe I. i. 1 In that pleasant district of merry England which is watered by the river Don.
1854 J. H. Newman Lect. Hist. Turks ii. i. 76 Sogdiana is watered by a number of great rivers.
1928 J. R. Schaeffer Over Alleghenies by Northwestern Turnpike 10 The city is watered from the Potomac River above Great Falls.
1980 I. Colegate Shooting Party 1 Areas of flat meadowland, watered by slow winding rivers.
2013 N. Queensland Reg. (Nexis) 4 July 25 The property is a working cattle station excellently watered by rivers, creeks, lagoons, dams and bores.
†b. transitive. Of water, a river, a moat, etc.: to surround or bound (a city, fort). Chiefly in passive. Also with about. Obsolete.In quots. a1450, c1540 in figurative context.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > [verb (transitive)] > surround or touch (of water)
washc1275
watera1450
bathe1591
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > surrounding > surround or lie around [verb (transitive)] > as water
watera1450
a1450 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Bodl.) (1869) xix. l. 323 (MED) Watrid [c1400 Laud Grace bigan to make a good foundement And watteled it and walled it with his peynes & his passioun].
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 7 Hit was þe souerayne Citie of the Soyle ouer..Well wallit for werre watrit aboute.
1572 T. Twyne tr. Dionysius Periegetes Surueye World sig. Evij On the one side runneth Corus, an other Choaspes,..rising out of the Riuer Indus, and watering the cittie Susa.
1589 P. Ive Pract. Fortification 25 in tr. R. Beccarie de Pavie Instr. Warres Neither, if the Fort do stand well watered, need the face of the Curtin to be raised..higher then three or foure foote aboue the water.
1601 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Trauellers Breuiat 24 As for the continent he [sc. the King of Spain] is absolute lord of all that sea coast which watereth Florida, Noua Hispania, Iucatan, [etc.].
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 597 I saw the remaines of a Monasterie, pleasantly watered about with seuerall streames.
1753 J. Hanway Hist. Acct. Brit. Trade Caspian Sea II. xxxix. 251 It [sc. the city] is watered by the Leina.
II. Senses relating to tears, saliva, and other fluids produced by the body.
5. Chiefly hyperbolical.
a. transitive. Of a person: to soak, cover, or make wet with tears from copious or continued weeping. Also of such tears: to soak, drench, or moisten. Also figurative. [Compare post-classical Latin lacrimis rigare (Vulgate; in quot. a1225 probably with allusion to Psalm 6:7; compare quot. a1382).] Uses in which tears are conceived of as providing nourishment to a plant or the land (in literal and figurative contexts) are treated at sense 3; see, for example, quots. 1789 at sense 3a, 1699 at sense 3b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > weeping > weep for [verb (transitive)] > wet or furrow with tears
wetc825
watera1225
furrow?1529
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 147 Ich scal watrien min bedd mid mine teares.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Psalms vi. 7 With my teres my bedding I shal watrin.
c1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert (1910) 112 (MED) ‘I schal wasch,’ he [sc. David] seith, ‘or ellis, water my bed with my teres.’
1534 G. Joye tr. Jeremy Prophete ix. f. xviiiv The teares might fall from our eyes, and water our chekis.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Luke vii. 38 She..beganne to water his fete with teares.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) i. ii. 161 And indeed the teares liue in an Onion, that should water this sorrow. View more context for this quotation
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 1090 What better can we do, then..there confess Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears Watering the ground. View more context for this quotation
1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 175 Often have we watered the good man's memory with our tears.
1782 F. Burney Cecilia IV. viii. iii. 203 ‘No, hate me not,’ said Mrs. Delvile, kissing from her cheeks the tears that watered them.
1832 Ld. Tennyson Œnone in Poems (new ed.) 62 Hath he not sworn his love a thousand times,..Sealed it with kisses? watered it with tears?
1862 Chesson & Woodhall's Misc. (Bombay) Aug. 453 To her who in childhood had tended him, whose tears had watered his cradle many a night.
1911 E. Ferber Dawn O'Hara xii. 179 When my tale was ended he let me cry all over his desk, with..my tears watering his paste-pot.
2008 D. Raybourn Silent in Sanctuary 403 Violante hugged her back, watering the silk of her gown with her tears.
b. transitive. Of blood shed in war, by a wound, etc.: to soak or cover (the ground, a place, etc.). Also: to soak or cover with shed blood.In quot. c1450 with reference to St Katherine miraculously shedding milk instead of blood when she is beheaded.Sometimes with figurative allusion to sense 4a.
ΚΠ
c1450 J. Capgrave Life St. Katherine (Arun. 396) (1893) v. l. 1905 In stede of blood mylke ran at hir nekke... It ran so plenteuously it wattered al the ground That lay abouten hir. O most merueylous welle!
1581 T. Rogers S. Augustines Praiers vi. 27 The streame of blessed blood watered his pierced feete.
1636 tr. J. Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin Ariana i. i. 1 Fortune..suffer'd that the Cirque, where Combats were made onely for pompe and recreation, should bee watered with blood by a detestable treason.
1798 J. T. Kirkland Oration delivered at Request of Society of ΦΒΚ 13 Their blood has watered its fields, and their revered dust sleeps in its bosom.
1868 ‘S. Tytler‘ Days of Yore viii. 84 The French soil, for which her ancestors had watered the land with their best blood.
1899 F. P. Stearns Life Bismarck xii. 299 ‘That demoniacal Bismarck’..was again going to water the valleys of Europe with blood.
1925 V. Willoughby Vision of Greece xv. 142 Wretched captives, the unknown of history,..whose unreputed blood has watered the stones of all the ancient monuments of the world!
1999 N.Y. Times 11 June a13/5 This whole land is watered with blood, Serb and Albanian.
6.
a. intransitive. Of the eyes: to fill and run with moisture; to discharge watery fluid, to flow with or shed tears, esp. because of strong emotion, physical irritation, etc. Cf. Phrases 1.
ΚΠ
c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) l. 5023 (MED) Her eyȝen watred for gladnesse.
c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. vii. l. 162 Hongur..wrong him so be þe wombe þat boþe his eȝen watreden.
c1450 Urbanitatis (Calig. A.ii) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 14 To depe in þy cuppe þou may not synke..Leste þy eyen water þere by.
c1460 (?c1400) Tale of Beryn Prol. l. 579 He had such a pose, That both his eyen waterid.
?1573 L. Lloyd Pilgrimage of Princes 26 We reade that the eies did water to see him, the eares allured to heare him.
1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 i. iv. 83 And if thine eies can water for his death, I giue thee this to drie thy cheeks withall.
1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream iii. i. 186 Good master Mustardseede... I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water, ere now. View more context for this quotation
1697 Verdicts conc. Virgil & Homer iv. 12 His Eyes water and shed some drops of Tears.
1707 W. Oliver Relation very Extraordinary Sleeper 8 I could not bear it [sc. a very piercing Spirit] under my own Nose a moment, without making my Eyes water.
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) II. 72 When a person walks out in that severe weather, the cold makes the eyes water.
1848 C. Dickens Dombey & Son xlix. 484 The smoke of the pipe..got into the Captain's eyes, and made them blink and water.
1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona iv. 36 His eye watered and sparkled, and before he sat down I observed him to sway back and forth. No doubt, he had been supping liberally.
1923 Humorist 1 Sept. 143/1 ‘Atchoo!’ sneezed Jones, his eyes watering reproachfully.
1965 M. Frayn Tin Men xiv. 74 The smoke..perpetually made her eyes water, which presumably reduced her vision still further.
2001 R. Audi in M. Steup Knowl., Truth, & Duty vi. 95 I notice his eyes watering and hear a quaver in his voice.
b. intransitive. Of a person (or occasionally an animal): to secrete and shed tears (†with eye or at the eyes), esp. because of strong emotion, physical irritation, etc.In quot. 1821: (of tears) to gather in the eyes.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > weeping > weep [verb (intransitive)]
greetc725
weepc900
tearc950
plore1373
beweepc1374
to put one's finger in one's eye1447
waterc1450
lachryme1490
cryc1532
lerma1533
tricklec1540
to water one's plants1542
to show tears1553
shower1597
issuea1616
lachrymate1623
sheda1632
pipe1671
to take a pipe1671
to pipe one's eye (also eyes)?1789
twine1805
to let fall1816
whinnya1825
blub1866
slobber1875
blart1896
skrike1904
water-cart1914
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > lachrymal organs > flow [verb (intransitive)] > of tears: rise to the eyes
wellc1400
water1821
c1450 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 593/14 Lippo, to watery with ye.
1614 G. Meriton Christian Mans Assuring House 40 She wept, she watered, she wiped, she kissed, she annoynted Christs feet.
1741 H. Fielding Shamela 45 You are jealous if she but looks (and then I began to Water) at a poor P—a—a—rson in his Pu—u—u—lpit, and then out burst a Flood of Tears.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel II. 91 Her tears stood watering in her eye.
1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xxvi. 266 The Major sat gurgling in the throat and watering at the eyes.
1916 Harper's Mag. May 969/1 The divine..politely passed the pickles, and in a few seconds had the satisfaction of seeing the stranger watering at the eyes and gasping for breath.
1954 J. Shiflet Twenty Years with Polled Herefords 142 These cattle developed keratitis, grew thin, watered at the eyes, suffered night blindness and many became permanently blind.
2004 A. M. Miftaraj There were Bears 25 He got a lungful of smoke and coughed harshly and watered at the eyes.
7.
a. intransitive. Of the mouth: to secrete or become filled with saliva (at the prospect of appetizing food). Also of the teeth: to run with saliva in anticipation of eating something appetizing (now somewhat rare). Also with †after or for.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > savouriness > express relish for food [verb] > make the mouth water
waterc1440
the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > appetite > have (good) appetite [verb (intransitive)] > salivate in anticipation of food (of mouth)
waterc1440
c1440 Liber de Diversis Med. 19 (MED) Drawe nott thyn ande for strikynge of þe sauoire of þe sedis in-to thi throtte and, euer als thi mouthe waters, halde thyn heuede ouer þe vessell.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 772/2 My tethe waters to se yonder fayre appels.
1592 J. Lyly Gallathea v. i. sig. F4v My teeth still watred with hungar.
1611 T. Coryate Crudities sig. Y6v I obserued passing faire Citrons, which made my mouth euen water vpon them.
a1612 J. Harington Epigrams (1618) ii. 13 If one names a Iax, your lips doe water.
1628 Robin Good-Fellow, his Mad Prankes ii. sig. D3 A great Posset was brought forth, at this Robin Good-fellowes teeth did water.
1639 J. Clarke Paroemiologia 39 He sees no green cheese but his mouth waters after it.
1657 H. Crouch Welsh Traveller 6 The apples did so lovely looke,..No delaies now could her brook, her shops [i.e. chops] did so much water.
1699 J. Harris tr. Fables Pilpay iii. 161 Her Teeth water'd for a taste of those delicate Viands.
1734 H. Fielding Intrig. Chambermaid i. v. 13 Let. He is this Day to give a grand Entertainment... Rak. My Chops begin to water.
a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. i. 362 The sight of a company sitting down before a plentiful meal will presently make the mouth water to be doing the like.
1843 R. S. Surtees Handley Cross II. xi. 283 All the delicacies of the season in short, that make one's mouth water to write.
1847 E. Brontë Wuthering Heights I. i. 9 The canine mother..was sneaking wolfishly to the back of my legs,..her white teeth watering for a snatch.
1886 Encycl. Brit. XX. 57/2 The dog's mouth waters only at the sight of food, but the gourmand's mouth will also water at the thought of it.
1928 A. Lowell Sel. Poems 204 The fox's mouth waters as he smells fish.
1991 D. Purcell Place of Stones (1992) v. 170 There were pictures in the window of plates of food... Her teeth watered and she went in.
2013 Sun (Nexis) 17 Dec. 43 Our mouths water in anticipation of Christmas dinner.
b. intransitive. figurative and in extended use, with reference to the prospect of something pleasurable, advantageous, etc.
ΚΠ
?c1550 tr. P. Vergil Three Bks. Eng. Hist. (1844) 303 There teethe watering at other men's goods [L. aliena appetentes].
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 503 His teeth..watred after this treasure.
1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles xvi. 96 There was a Spaniards mouth watred, and he went to bed to her verie description. View more context for this quotation
1670 G. Havers tr. G. Leti Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa iii. ii. 256 Whose teeth water'd at the Papacy.
1720 Hist. Life & Adventures D. Campbell iv. 68 [She would] bribe him..to write down the Name of a Young Scotch Peer..that her Mouth watered after.
1798 tr. F. de Quevedo Wks. III. 265 Jove, whose mouth watered at the lewd motions of the goddess, said, ‘This is a farewell to Ganymede, and no quarrel.’
1841 S. Warren Ten Thousand a Year i. viii Huckaback, smiling..and chinking some money in his trowsers pocket. Titmouse heard it, and (as the phrase is) his teeth watered.
1883 E. Pennell-Elmhirst Cream Leics. 424 Every mouth watering at the sight of the sweet country.
1910 Minutes Rep. Law of Copyright Comm. 232/1 in Parl. Papers (Cd. 5051) XXI. 289 Doubtless the eyes of copyright owners have glistened and their teeth watered at the enormous profits which have been published.
1963 R. Jarrell Next Day in New Yorker 14 Dec. 1 The world looked at me And its mouth watered. How often they have undressed me, The eyes of strangers!
2001 E. Holly Beyond Innocence 252 Her mouth watered at the thought of him stripped and bound.
8. intransitive. To urinate. Now rare.Cf. to make water at water n. Phrases 2g, to pass water at water n. Phrases 2h.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > defecation or urination > urinary system > urinate [verb (intransitive)]
migheeOE
pissc1300
to make water?a1475
stale1530
leak1598
urinate1599
minge1606
urine1607
water1631
stroana1730
to pass water1738
to pump ship1759
piddle1784
to make one's burn1788
pittle1801
pee1825
micturate1842
tiddlea1852
leck1922
wet1925
whizz1929
wee-wee1930
wee1934
widdle1934
to go (make) wee-wee1937
tinkle1943
void1947
to take a leak1969
potty1972
slash1973
wazz1984
1631 B. Jonson Staple of Newes iv. i. 4 in Wks. II What shal's doe with our selues, While the women water? and the Fidlers eat?
1717 M. Prior Alma ii. 500 Pleas'd with her Punch, the Gallant Soul First drank, then water'd in the Bowl.
1842 Veterinarian July 370 In the evening he began to water through the tube.
1966 M. Catto Bird on Wing i. 15 He went into the lav. The Major could hear him watering.
III. To add water to; to saturate, soak, or fill with water.
9.
a. transitive. To add water to (a liquid) as a diluent, in order to increase the quantity or reduce the strength; esp. to dilute or adulterate (wine, strong liquor, milk, or tea) with water. See also to water down 1b at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > preparation of drinks > [verb (transitive)] > dilute or adulterate
watera1387
brew1520
geld1668
to water down1866
reface1887
cut1930
the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > action or process of dilution > dilute [verb (transitive)]
thinc1000
woke1377
watera1387
allayc1450
delay1543
dilute1691
lower1698
to water down1866
cut1930
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 255 He wolde drynke a litel wyne i-watred [c1400 Tiber. ywatert; L. lymphatum].
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. clxxxv. 1080 Rede wyn þat is ful reed as blood is most stronge..and nedeþ þerfore to be swithe wele watered.
a1500 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Wellcome) f. 24 (MED) Ne ȝeve no leue to drynke wyn but it be gret nede and þan let it be liȝt wyn sherpe and wele evaterd.
c1540 J. Drummond tr. Arnaldus de Villa Nova Def. of Age sig. B.iv Cloues, Cinameme, Liquiryce..conficte & incorporate with good wyne, and so (beyng fyrst somwhat watered) receyued and dronken.
1605 P. Erondelle French Garden M 1 b If I make any mixture, I do be-wine ye water, and not water ye wine.
1665 W. Hughes Compl. Vineyard xiv. 26 Some do use presently to change the Wine so watered, and to draw it out into another vessel.
1768 R. Brew Copy Let. Trade of Gold Coast 3 The Committee's inferior servants, soldiers, and slaves, are generally paid in liquor watered from 20 to 30 per cent.
1850 H. Melville White-jacket xliii. 209 He pronounces his grog basely watered.
1865 G. MacDonald Alec Forbes I. viii. 44 If any customer had accused her of watering it [sc. milk], Mrs. Bruce's best answer would have been to show how much better what she sold was than what she retained.
1897 B. Stoker Dracula xxi. 288 It was like tea after the teapot had been watered.
1917 N. Douglas South Wind xiii. 117 They have watered their wine. There is more to drink.
2006 Wisconsin State Jrnl. 10 Jan. a1 The brothers confessed to watering their milk after being confronted by co-op officials.
b. transitive. figurative. To reduce or weaken (something) in force, impact, purity, or quality; to make more moderate; spec. to make (language) less vivid, forceful, or shocking by omission, addition, or alteration; to tone down. See also to water down 1a at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial)
to thin off, downc900
feeblea1340
allayc1450
debilite1483
mollify1496
weak1502
geld?1507
water1529
appale?1530
labefact?1539
debilitate1541
mortify1553
effeeble1571
dilutea1575
soften1576
unsinew1599
melt1600
infringe1604
weaken1609
unbenda1616
dissinew1640
slacken1663
thin1670
resolve1715
imbecilitate1809
imbecile1829
to let down1832
to water down1832
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > weakness or feebleness > weaken [verb (transitive)]
water1529
emasculate1608
wire-draw1660
to water down1832
to write down1876
sanitize1934
pasteurize1951
saccharinize1971
1529 T. More Dyaloge Dyuers Maters i. f. iiiv/2 Cristis gospell..ys fered not well & truly tolde, but watered wt false gloses, & altered from the trouthe of ye very wordis & sentence of scriptur.
1632 H. Hawkins tr. G. P. Maffei Fuga Sæculi 8 Those same delights came to be much watered, with a continuall feare.
1869 Vermont Chron. 2 Jan. 2/4 He never watered the truth to make it more popular.
a1891 J. R. Lowell in Harper's New Monthly Mag. (1892) Sept. 91 But it is not true that the sense is expanded, if by that we are to understand that Chapman watered his thought to make it fill up.
1906 Times Lit. Suppl. 2 Nov. 370/2 The book is full of quotations... Indeed much of it is just these writers watered.
2003 Afr. News (Nexis) 11 Aug. Some disappointing technology earnings in Japan watered sentiment on the Japanese markets.
†c. transitive. U.S. slang. To set up (a jury) in such a way that it is certain or likely to reach a particular decision; = pack v.2 4. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > specific offences > [verb (transitive)] > illegally influence or pack jury
embrace1475
water1792
1792 J. Belknap Hist. New-Hampsh. III. 256 In the administration of justice, frequent complaints were made of partiality... The practice of watering the jury was familiarly known to those persons who had business in the Law.
d. transitive. Finance colloquial (originally U.S.). To increase artificially the value of (the stock or capital of a company) to a level not justified by assets, esp. in order to give a false impression to potential investors. Also with up.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > deal in stocks and shares [verb (transitive)] > specific operations
subscribe1618
to take up1655
to sell out1721
to take in1721
to take up1740
pool?1780
capitalize1797
put1814
feed1818
to vote (the) stock (or shares)1819
corner1836
to sell short1852
promote1853
recapitalize1856
refund1857
float1865
water1865
margin1870
unload1870
acquire1877
maintain1881
syndicate1882
scalp1886
pyramid1888
underwrite1889
oversubscribe1891
joint-stock1894
wash1895
write1908
mark1911
split1927
marry1931
stag1935
unwind1958
short1959
preplace1966
unitize1970
bed and breakfast1974
index-link1974
warehouse1977
daisy-chain1979
strip1981
greenmail1984
pull1986
1865 G. A. Sala Diary Amer. (ed. 2) II. 235 Its stock had been..so unscrupulously ‘watered’.
1883 Pall Mall Gaz. 5 July 5/1 The new capital was raised at heavy premiums, and therefore does not ‘water’ the original shares strictly speaking.
1899 Westm. Gaz. 6 Apr. 3/1 Considering the vast extent to which capital has been ‘watered up’ in transfer to joint-stock companies.
1932 Ann. Reg. 1931 3 As the capital of the companies had been ‘watered’, it would be more fair to reduce the dividends of the shareholders.
1973 W. A. Thomas Provinc. Stock Exchanges vi. 131 The small capitals of such companies were already heavily watered up.
1984 G. S. Brown Amer. Past xxvii. 418/1 In order to separate him [sc. Vanderbilt] from as much of his fortune as possible, they watered Erie's stock; that is, they marketed shares in the dilapidated railroad far in excess of the Erie's real assets.
10.
a. transitive. To put in water to soak; to steep in a liquid; (also) to soften by soaking, macerate. In later use: esp. to ret (flax or hemp); see ret v.2 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > action or process of soaking or steeping > soak or steep [verb (transitive)] > in water or liquor, esp. in order to soften
woke1393
watera1398
yet1511
weak1559
macerate1563
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. lxiv. 955 Oon seiþ þat benes..þryueþ þe bettre if þey be watered in pisse [L. in vrine aqua macerentur] þre dayes ar he be ysowe.
tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 795 (MED) With ficchis flour ywattrid wel biforn, Let modle al this seed.
a1450 in T. Austin Two 15th-cent. Cookery-bks. (1888) 43 (MED) Nym Milwel or lenge þat is wel y-wateryd.
1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth iii. sig. B.ivv Also nygh to the place let nother flaxe nor hempe be watered.
1553 J. Withals Shorte Dict. f. 47v/2 Macero, to water fisshe or flesshe.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 10v A Hopper..serueth to conuey downe the Malt, after it is watred vnto the hearecloth, where it is dryed.
1611 in Trans. Exeter Dioc. Archit. Soc. (1867) 2nd Ser. 1 399 Item to a man to water the reed,..i s.
1673 Gentlewomans Compan. 123 Lay them [sc. collars of brawn] a soaking in fair water, be sure that they be watered two days before you bind them up.
1723 in Statutes at Large, Ireland (1765) V. 85 No hemp shall be watered or steeped in bogs or moss-pits.
1808 Communications to Board of Agric. VI. ix. 92 In this streamlet a daming is made,..into which the flax is put..When it is thought to be sufficiently watered it is taken out.
1868 Agric. Class-bk. (Ireland Commissioners National Educ.) (ed. 2) iii. viii. 202 When sufficiently watered the flax is carefully lifted out of the pool by hand.
1995 I. Jonsson in D. M. Hafter European Women & Preindustrial Craft i. ii. 17 The retting process had to be supervised carefully because flax that had been watered too long produced linen of inferior quality.
b. transitive. To free (meat, fish, etc.) from salt by soaking in water. Also with out. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > manufacturing processes > perform general or industrial manufacturing processes [verb (transitive)] > treat or impregnate with specific substance
sig1581
camphor1607
water1625
lixiviate1646
camphorate1651
lantifya1652
camphorize1736
liquor1743
bituminate1799
methylate1851
salt1857
poach1873
resinate1891
vaseline1891
1625 S. Bradwell Watch-man for Pest 22 Very salt and long powdered Beefe (though never so much watered afterward to get out the salt) is not good.
1683 J. Pettus tr. L. Ercker v. viii. 338 in Fleta Minor i When the Salt is to be put over the Ashes,..it must be well watered out [Ger. ausswässern], that the red bottom may not be very salty.
1854 W. Hughes Pract. Treat. Choice & Cookery of Fish iv. 196 Small split codfish, and other salt fish of small size, after being watered to extract the salt.., should be fried entire, and served up with plain melted butter.
1873 M. Carroll Seal & Herring Fisheries Newfoundland 44 The bottom fish in the puncheon..must be watered before being exposed to the sun.
1942 U.S. Patent 2,294,428 2/1 A process for desalting fish which consists in watering the fish with an aqueous solution.
1970 H. M. Drache Challenge Prairie 121 ‘Lutefisk’, another Norwegian dish..had to be watered out by the consumer.
11.
a. transitive. To sprinkle or pour water or a solution on; to make wet, to moisten or drench.In quot. OE showing the prefixed form gewæterian; cf. etymological note.In quot. c1400: to douse (an animal) with water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > make wet [verb (transitive)] > with water
waterc1400
OE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Kings (Julius) in W. W. Skeat Ælfric's Lives of Saints (1881) I. 390 Helias..het ða gewæterian ealne þone wudu [i.e. for the burnt offering].]
c1400 Femina (Trin. Cambr.) (1909) 68 (MED) Oxen & hors beþ y watered [Fr. waiez] And al oþer bestes y wasshe.
a1525 ( Coventry Leet Bk. (1908) II. 397 Nother that he water nother chaunge no mannes corne to geve hym the wers for the better.
1558 W. Ward tr. G. Ruscelli Secretes Alexis of Piemount ii. f. 49v Butri..is Oxe dunge taken vp in Maye, and diuers times sprinkled and watred with rose water than dried.
1638 J. Murrell Second Bk. Cookery 147 in Two Bks. Cookerie & Carving (ed. 5) Drie the smallest guts of a Hog in a faire cloth being watered and scoured fit for the Puddings.
1659 G. Everard Panacea 21 You shall water by sprinkling all the foresaid leaves.
1756 F. Home Exper. Bleaching i. ii. 32 The cloth is then taken out, spread on the field, and watered.
1786 in J. Lloyd Old South Wales Iron Works (1906) iii. 35 To take..Water issuing from the said veins of Coal for the purpose of watering their Coaks and Coakyards at Pendarren ffurnace.
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 562 The cloth is exposed for a few days to the open air in the field, and frequently watered, to remove every trace of the acids.
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 1255 Spreading them [sc. tobacco leaves] in a heap upon a stone pavement, watering each layer in succession, with a solution..called sauce.
1869 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Agric. 1868 441 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (40th Congr., 3rd Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc.) XV In hot weather the [milk] can is covered with a textile wrapper which is watered with a fine sprinkler before the train starts.
1988 A. R. Scharr Sisters in Sky II. 241 I filled the glass with water, set it on the floor, watered the cloth,..and wiped her face.
2005 H. Spurling Matisse Master vii. 236 He bought the pick of the daily catch, paying a boy to water the fish from a bucket as they posed for him.
b. transitive. To sprinkle or drench (a road, pavement, etc.) with water in order to settle the dust.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > cleaning streets > clean streets [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle with water to lay dust
water1525
to water down1836
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. clvii. f. clxxv/2 The kynge..ordeyned mo than two hundred barrelles of mater that watred the place, wherby the grounde was well amended.
1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 143 The high waies might be swept & watered [L. conspergi] for the dust.
1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 260 Their Inhabitants had water'd the Streets, which being not pav'd,..the dust had otherwise..annoy'd us.
1749 Gentleman's Mag. May 219/1 Rendering the most dusty part of their road, near the town, agreeable by watering it.
1799 W. Marshall Sketch Vale of London 9 in Minutes Agric. (new ed.) I. The roads are watered, with carts adapted to the purpose.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 2nd Ser. 11 The apprentice..pauses every other minute from his task of sweeping out the shop and watering the pavement in front of it.
1872 M. S. De Vere Americanisms 359 As American railroads are..liable, in sandy regions, to be enveloped in unbearable clouds of dust, track sprinklers are frequently employed to water them.
1929 E. Hemingway Farewell to Arms xiii. 91 They were watering the street and it smelled of the early morning.
2008 W. Pitts & L. Duncan Touching Lives v. 52 You need someone to water the ground and settle the dust that is fogging the place.
†c. transitive. To wash down (food) with drink. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > wash down food
to wash down1600
water1630
rinse1631
wet1878
1630 J. Taylor Great Eater of Kent in Wks. i. 144/2 Indeed he is no drunkard,..for one Pinte of Beere or Ale is enough to wash downe a Hog, or water a Sheepe with him.
†d. transitive. To saturate or drench (a person's clothing) or the clothing of (a person). Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > condition of being or making very wet > make very wet [verb (transitive)]
drenchc1000
washc1275
drowna1300
drunkena1300
drunka1382
bewetc1400
bedrenchc1450
bucka1513
sowp1513
drooka1522
sousea1542
soaken1577
overdrown1579
soss1587
embay1590
steep1590
overdrencha1592
embathe1593
indrench1593
imbue1594
douse1606
besob1609
bucket1621
sob1625
dash1670
sop1682
saturate1696
float1729
water1754
sodden1812
douche1864
poach1881
tosh1883
sod1895
1754 A. Murphy Gray's Inn Jrnl. No. 71. ⁋3 Producing a Squirt, he began to let fly at me in such a Manner, that I was soon pretty well watered from Head to Foot.
1844 A. W. Kinglake Eothen xviii. 314 A plenteous sweat burst through my skin, and watered my clothes through and through.
†e. transitive. To pump water into (a ship) in order to determine whether it leaks. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > water > put water into [verb (transitive)]
water1878
1878 E. Schiller's Technol. Dict. (at cited word) To Water a vessel on the stocks (Ship-b.) Ein Schiff wässern oder vollpumpen. Abreuver un bâtiment.
f. transitive. Military slang. To bombard heavily with shellfire. rare.Evidence only found in the writings of John Buchan.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > operate (artillery) [verb (transitive)] > bombard
ding1548
to lay battery to1548
cannon1567
thunder1590
cannonade1637
bombard1686
bomb1694
shell1827
plonk1874
plaster1914
bump1915
labour1915
water1915
barragea1917
paste1942
stonk1944
1915 J. Buchan Nelson's Hist. War III. xxi. 89 Thereupon von Hindenburg attempted to ‘prepare’ a passage by a great bombardment—high angle shell fire which should ‘water’ the enemy's position.
1915 J. Buchan Nelson's Hist. War VII. lii. 106 The Germans were closing in on both sides and ‘watering’ the whole hinterland with their fire.
12.
a. transitive. To produce a wavy lustrous finish on (a fabric, esp. silk) by sprinkling it with water and pressing it. Cf. watered adj.1 5. Now chiefly historical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture textile fabric or that which consists of > manufacture of textile fabric > treating or processing textile fabric > treat or process textile fabric [verb (transitive)] > other processes
starch1390
scour1467
burl1483
waterc1500
calender1513
shoot1532
press1555
gum1612
reimbale1623
strike1701
bias1838
pad1839
spirit1854
bray1879
stream1883
crisp1892
block1905
Schreiner1905
mercerize1911
c1500 in R. G. Cant College St. Salvator (1950) 156 Ane claith of bukram watteryt with letteris off gold.
1621 Knolles's Gen. Hist. Turkes (ed. 3) 1326 Fiue pieces of silke, fiue of damaske, fiue of silke watered.
1684 J. Haskins Brit. Patent 241 (1857) 1 A new way of Beautifying severall Sorts of Cloath..and thereby Watering, Damasking, and Flowering the same.
1708 Brit. Apollo 12–17 Nov. No two pieces were ever water'd alike.
1745 R. Pococke Descr. East II. i. viii. 125 These things [silks and cottons] are watered, which very much adds to their beauty.
1791 W. Hamilton tr. C.-L. Berthollet Elements Art of Dyeing I. i. iii. x. 295 The calender, under which stuffs are passed to water them.
1837 T. Hood in Comic Ann. 53 We water roads, horses, silks, ribands, bank-paper.
1959 Christian Sci. Monitor 25 May 9/3 Somebody watered the silk by crushing it on a marble slab under a huge weight of masonry.
1985 E. Kerridge Textile Manufactures Early Mod. Eng. iv. 42 Many [camlets] were hot-pressed, and some were watered..to produce a moire or wavy finish.
†b. transitive. In extended use. To give a speciously attractive or acceptable appearance to (defective or inferior goods, speech, etc.). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > forgery, falsification > forge, falsify [verb (transitive)] > material things
counterfeitc1386
marshalc1450
falsify1601
water1646
to quack titles1715
distress1943
1646 W. Jenkyn Reformation's Remora 18 Rotten stuffs will not be vendible without watering, nor rotten courses without excuses.
1655 S. Rutherford Covenant of Life Opened i. xvi. 133 The Hypocrite is dyed and watered with a hew and colour of godlinesse.
1663 J. Spencer Disc. Prodigies (1665) 68 The pretty Allegories and Allusions of which Discourse (but the watering of weak and worthless stuff) might possibly shew not unhandsomly in an Oration, but are too airy and thin for a Sermon.
†c. transitive. To represent (a fabric) as watered in painting. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > painting according to medium or technique > paint according to medium or technique [verb (transitive)] > other techniques
pencilc1500
water1733
flat1842
to oil out1859
marouflage1964
1733 School of Miniature 29 When you would water a Stuff of any sort, you must wave it with lighter or darker Colours, according as what you are upon is Light or Shade.
†13. transitive. Chiefly Scottish. To cover with a coating of metal deposited from solution; chiefly in to water over. In early use figurative. Cf. wash v. 9c. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > work with metal [verb (transitive)] > coat or cover with metal
couch14..
platec1425
bush1566
gild1611
sheathe1615
water1637
tincture1670
laminate1697
wash1792
replate1796
rebush1864
electro1891
metallize1911
1637 S. Rutherford Let. 17 June in Joshua Redivivus (1765) 477 Since I must have chains, He would put golden chains on me, watered over with many consolations.
1802 Universal Mag. Aug. 101/1 They mark, for instance, with the word plated, articles [i.e. buttons] which are merely watered over with silver.
1864 N. Brit. Rev. 41 176 A very massy silver cross watered over with gold.
1881 J. Younger Autobiogr. John Younger v. 42 The false coin was clipped out of copper plates, rounded smoothly, and watered over with quicksilver.
IV. To go or put into water.
†14. intransitive. Of a dog: to take to the water in a specified manner. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > hunting with hounds > work done by hounds > action of hounds [verb (intransitive)] > other actions of hounds
to be at bayc1515
blemish1575
to give the hare a turn1575
wrench1686
lurch1824
meuse1827
stream1849
smeuse1851
water1855
to run into shot1884
1855 Bell's Life in London 29 July 1/4 (advt.) Mastiff.—..unequalled as a watch dog: fetches, carries, and waters well. Price £10.
1885 Bazaar, Exchange & Mart 30 Mar. 1260/1 Handsome retriever bitch,..will water and retrieve well.
1890 Live Stock Jrnl. 10 Jan. 44/1 (advt.) Handsome wavy-coated Black Retriever, Lion; retrieves and waters well.
†15. intransitive. To drink or bathe in the waters from a mineral spring or spa for reasons of health or well-being; = to take the waters at water n. Phrases 2k(b). Cf. waterer n. 5, watering n. 12. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatments using water > practise hydropathy [verb (intransitive)] > undergo hydropathy
water1868
1868 A. Dawson Rambling Recoll. 42 He annually watered at Pitcaithly to ward off rheumatism.
16. transitive. Forestry. Chiefly Canadian. To put (logs) into the water for transport.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > forestry or arboriculture > lumbering > [verb (transitive)] > transport logs
swamp1784
boom1798
snake1829
sluice1877
water1877
skid1878
tode1895
1877 Lumberman's Gaz. 24 May There have been 257,000,000 feet of logs watered on the various branches of the Muskegon.
1916 Ont. Law Rep. 34 611 Work was begun in breaking the dumps and clearing the way to water the logs on the 20th April.
1927 Creston (Brit. Columbia) Rev. 17 June 1/2 The cut represented almost a winter's work sawing, skidding, and watering the logs for tow to Nelson.
1998 Town of Golden: Assessm. Transportation Infrastructure Improvem.: Final Rep. (Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd.) ii. 4 Logs from the northeastern section, if not watered, must now be transported the entire length of Bush Arm..before heading south to Golden.

Phrases

P1.
†a. to water one's eyes: to shed tears, to weep; to have the eyes brim with tears. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > lachrymal organs > flow [verb (transitive)] > shed tears
shedc1175
to water one's eyesa1500
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xxii. 283 For sorow I water both myn eeyn!
?a1562 G. Cavendish Life Wolsey (1959) 87 Wche wordes caused my lord of wyltshere to water his eyes.
1650 W. Houghton Preces & Lachrymae 19 Had he onely watered his eyes, or let fall one tear, it had been much.
†b. to water one's plants: to shed tears, to weep. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > weeping > weep [verb (intransitive)]
greetc725
weepc900
tearc950
plore1373
beweepc1374
to put one's finger in one's eye1447
waterc1450
lachryme1490
cryc1532
lerma1533
tricklec1540
to water one's plants1542
to show tears1553
shower1597
issuea1616
lachrymate1623
sheda1632
pipe1671
to take a pipe1671
to pipe one's eye (also eyes)?1789
twine1805
to let fall1816
whinnya1825
blub1866
slobber1875
blart1896
skrike1904
water-cart1914
1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 266 When he read the chronicle of Alexander the greate, he could not forbeare to water his plantes [L. non tenuit lachrymas].
1693 R. South Animadversions upon Dr. Sherlock's Bk. x. 336 I have known many a poor School-boy forced to Water his Plants for a less Mistake.
1735 J. Swift Full & True Acct. Execution W. Wood in Wks. IV. 246 Bodice-maker. I'll lace his Sides. Gardener. I'll make him water his Plants.
1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) at Plants ‘To water one's plants,’ to shed tears.
†P2. to water one's clay: to have an alcoholic drink. Cf. clay n. 4b. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (intransitive)]
drinkc1000
to wet (one's) whistle, weasand, mouth, beak, beardc1386
bumc1390
to wet (erron. whet) one's whistlec1405
tipple1648
to suck one's face1699
to moisten or wet one's clay1708
to water one's clay1751
1751 in J. Winstanley et al. Poems II. 228 Here lies honest Ned, Who drank himself dead, But when to the Bottom I dip, Tho' he water'd his Clay, Both by Night and by Day, I shall find him as dry as a Chip.
1760 O. Goldsmith in Brit. Mag. Feb. 80/1 Old women should water their clay a little now and then.
†P3. water my chickens (come cluck): a children's game in which a number of players, taking the role of ‘chickens’, line up behind another player, the ‘hen’, and advance on another, the ‘old woman’, while singing or chanting the line ‘Water my chickens, come cluck! cluck! cluck!’; this line as sung or chanted in the game. Obsolete.In quot. 1749 as a line in a song.
ΚΠ
1749 Thrush 48 Who said my Child was piss'd all? Come water my Chickens, come clock.]
1766 H. Brooke Fool of Quality II. xii. 210 One fault brought me into another after it, like Water my chickens come clock.
1844 C. Long Sir Roland Ashton II. i. 11 To proceed—after the manner of the old hen in ‘Water my chickens’, (how I should like to play at that game once more in my life) I ask, what is the ‘crochet’ work for?
1876 M. A. Mackarness Young Lady's Bk. 271 They..sing the following words as they advance towards the old woman: ‘Water my chickens, come, cluck! cluck! cluck!’
P4. water his (also her) hole!: said to encourage seamen when raising an anchor (see quot. 1867). Now rare.
ΚΠ
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Water his hole, a saying used when the cable is up and down, to encourage the men to heave heartily, and raise the shank of the anchor so that the water may get down by the shank, and relieve the anchor of the superincumbent mud.
1907 F. T. Bullen Call of Deep vi. 93 ‘Heave! an' water her hole!’ ‘Oh! one time!’ and away came the anchor from its tough hold on the bottom.

Phrasal verbs

to water down
1. transitive.
a. Often depreciative. To weaken in force, impact, or quality; to make more moderate; = sense 9b. Cf. watered-down adj. 1 and slightly earlier milk-and-water v. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial)
to thin off, downc900
feeblea1340
allayc1450
debilite1483
mollify1496
weak1502
geld?1507
water1529
appale?1530
labefact?1539
debilitate1541
mortify1553
effeeble1571
dilutea1575
soften1576
unsinew1599
melt1600
infringe1604
weaken1609
unbenda1616
dissinew1640
slacken1663
thin1670
resolve1715
imbecilitate1809
imbecile1829
to let down1832
to water down1832
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down
temperc1000
modifyc1385
softenc1410
tame?a1500
qualify1536
temperatea1540
extenuate1561
supple1609
dilute1665
palliate1665
weaken1683
subdue1723
lower1780
modulate1783
to shade away1817
to water down1832
to water down1836
sober1838
veil1843
to tone down1847
to break down1859
soothe1860
tone1884
to key down1891
soft-pedal1912
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > weakness or feebleness > weaken [verb (transitive)]
water1529
emasculate1608
wire-draw1660
to water down1832
to write down1876
sanitize1934
pasteurize1951
saccharinize1971
1832 Guardian & Public Ledger 20 Nov. Insolence is watered down into expostulation.
1833 W. Palmer Remarks Arnold's Princ. Church Reform 19 Let these portions of our doctrine be expunged, or remodelled, or watered down... And what will be the result?
1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar iii. 29 Still less had the Roman citizens an inclination to..see the value of their votes watered down.
1919 W. Crooke in Man 19 23 The ordeal has been so watered down that the risk to life or limb is merely nominal.
1967 Freedomways 7 133 The horrors of slavery are watered down and sketchily covered so as not to enrage the complacent black student.
2014 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 5 Apr. (Spectrum section) 4 I never water down the language in my picture books, in fact I spice it up.
b. To dilute or adulterate with water; = sense 9a. Cf. watered-down adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > preparation of drinks > [verb (transitive)] > dilute or adulterate
watera1387
brew1520
geld1668
to water down1866
reface1887
cut1930
the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > action or process of dilution > dilute [verb (transitive)]
thinc1000
woke1377
watera1387
allayc1450
delay1543
dilute1691
lower1698
to water down1866
cut1930
1866 W. Reid After War 554 Many of them spent half their earnings buying whisky. That sold on the plantation was always watered down at least one-fourth.
1899 National Stockman & Farmer 25 May 198 These men much prefer the richer milk, since they can remove some of the fat and ship it, or water the milk down to the legal standard.
1917 South Amer. Feb. 14/2 I presume it is watered down to 50 per cent strong to make liquors, but the Indians always drink their alcohol pure.
1980 Guardian 8 Jan. 2/3 The sacking of several publicans for allegedly watering down beer.
2003 I. Banks Raw Spirit (2004) v. 102 Too much of even the best whisky had been..watered down.
2. transitive. To pour water over (ashes, dust, earth, etc.) in order to settle or soften it. Also: to sprinkle or pour water on (a road, pavement, or other piece of ground) to settle the dust; = sense 11b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down
temperc1000
modifyc1385
softenc1410
tame?a1500
qualify1536
temperatea1540
extenuate1561
supple1609
dilute1665
palliate1665
weaken1683
subdue1723
lower1780
modulate1783
to shade away1817
to water down1832
to water down1836
sober1838
veil1843
to tone down1847
to break down1859
soothe1860
tone1884
to key down1891
soft-pedal1912
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > cleaning streets > clean streets [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle with water to lay dust
water1525
to water down1836
1836 Penny Cycl. V. 408/1 The clay and ashes thus mixed together are ‘watered down’, by water being thrown over them with a wooden scoop.
1847 Maine Farmer 24 June 1/3 Gyspum or green vitriol, both of which are excellent ‘fixins’, should be added with every fresh layer of the above materials, and watered down as before.
1858 C. Peltier Let. 10 Apr. in Jrnl. Proc. Common Council Detroit (1859) 68/1 The earth excavated to be refilled, watered down and settled.
1942–3 Ann. Rep. (Tea Sci. Dept.) 12 From one of these sections, all the ash remaining after burning was removed while in the other the ash was watered down.
2009 S. Yost How to keep your Classic Tractor Alive viii. 93/2 General purpose spraying, whether you're applying orchard spray..or simply watering down a dusty road.
 to water in
transitive. To give water to (a seedling or plant) at planting, in order to encourage growth and settle the soil around the roots; (also) to pour or sprinkle water over (fertilizer, pesticide, etc., applied on a lawn or the soil) so that it dissolves and soaks in.
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1885 G. Nicholson Illustr. Dict. Gardening I. 217/2 The plants [sc. Brussels sprouts]..should be watered-in when planted.
1939 Boston Sunday Globe 3 Sept. 4/5 Dusting these spots with arsenate of lead and watering it in if grubs are present will be helpful.
1958 Listener 21 Aug. 275/2 By taking off well-ripened shoots..and placing three shoots in three-inch pots..watering them in..and keeping them perfectly airtight and shaded, I have got a good percentage to root.
1982 Times 22 May 9/4 I always like to water-in my lawn fertilizers.
1999 R. Creasy Edible Herb Garden 19/3 Just loosen the soil and place the transplant in the soil, water it in and mulch the soil.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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