ˈwɔ:tə n. & v. --n. 1 a
colourless transparent odourless
tasteless liquid compound of
oxygen and hydrogen. °Chem.
formula: H[2]O. 2 a liquid consisting
chiefly of
this and found in seas, lakes, and rivers, in
rain, and in secretions of organisms. 3 an
expanse of water; a
sea, lake,
river, etc. 4 (in pl.)
part of a sea or river (in
Icelandic waters). 5 (often as
the waters)
mineral water at a
spa etc. 6 the
state of a
tide (high water). 7 a
solution of a specified
substance in water (lavender-water). 8 the
quality of the
transparency and
brilliance of a
gem,
esp. a
diamond. 9
Finance an
amount of
nominal capital added by
watering (see
sense 10 of v.). 10 (attrib.) a found in or
near water. b
of,
for, or worked by water. c involving, using, or
yielding water. --v. 1 tr.
sprinkle or
soak with water. 2 tr. supply (a plant) with water. 3 tr.
give water to (an animal) to
drink. 4 intr. (of the
mouth or eyes) secrete water as
saliva or tears. 5 tr. (as watered adj.) (of
silk etc.) having
irregular wavy glossy markings. 6 tr.
adulterate (milk,
beer, etc.) with water. 7 tr. (of a river etc.) supply (a place) with water. 8 intr. (of an animal) go to a pool etc. to drink. 9 intr. (of a
ship,
engine,
etc., or the
person in
charge of it)
take in a supply of water. 10 tr. Finance
increase (a company's
debt, or nominal capital) by the
issue of
new shares
without a corresponding
addition to assets. øby water using a ship etc. for
travel or
transport.
cast one's
bread upon the waters see BREAD. like water lavishly, profusely. like water
off a duck's
back see
DUCK(1).
make one's mouth water
cause one's saliva to
flow,
stimulate one's
appetite or
anticipation. of the
first water 1 (of a diamond) of the greatest brilliance and transparency. 2 of the finest quality or
extreme degree. on the water on a ship etc. on the water-wagon see
WAGON. water-bag a
bag of
leather,
canvas, etc., for
holding water. water
bailiff 1 an
official enforcing
fishing laws. 2
hist. a custom-house
officer at a
port. water bear =
TARDIGRADE n. water-bed a
mattress of rubber or
plastic etc. filled with water. water-biscuit a
thin crisp unsweetened biscuit made from flour and water. water
blister a blister containing a colourless
fluid,
not blood or
pus. water-boatman
any aquatic bug of the
family Notonectidae or Corixidae, swimming with oarlike hind legs. water-borne 1 (of goods etc.) conveyed by or travelling on water. 2 (of a disease) communicated or propagated by contaminated water. water-buck any of
various African antelopes of the
genus Kobus, frequenting river-banks. water-buffalo the
common domestic Indian buffalo, Bubalus arnee. water
bus a
boat carrying passengers on a
regular run on a river, lake, etc. water-butt a
barrel used to
catch rainwater. water-cannon a
device giving a
powerful jet of water to
disperse a
crowd etc. the Water-carrier (or -bearer) the
zodiacal sign or
constellation Aquarius. water
chestnut 1 an aquatic
plant, Trapa natans,
bearing an
edible seed. 2 a (in full
Chinese water chestnut) a
sedge, Eleocharis tuberosa, with rushlike
leaves arising from a
corm. b this corm used as
food. water-clock a clock measuring
time by the flow of water. water-closet 1 a
lavatory with the
means for flushing the pan with water. 2 a
room containing this. water-colour (US -color) 1 artists'
paint made of
pigment to be diluted with water and not
oil. 2 a
picture painted with this. 3 the art of
painting with water-colours. water-colourist (US -colorist) a painter in water-colours. water-cooled cooled by the
circulation of water. water-cooler a
tank of cooled drinking-water. water
cure =
HYDROPATHY. water-diviner
Brit. a person
who dowses (see DOWSE(1)) for water. water down 1
dilute with water. 2 make
less vivid,
forceful, or horrifying. water
gauge 1 a
glass tube etc. indicating the
height of water in a
reservoir,
boiler, etc. 2
pressure expressed in terms of a
head of water. water-glass 1 a solution of
sodium or
potassium silicate used for preserving eggs, as a
vehicle for fresco-painting, and for
hardening artificial stone. 2 a tube with a glass
bottom enabling objects
under water to be observed. water-hammer a knocking
noise in a water-pipe
when a tap is suddenly turned off. water-heater a device for
heating (esp. domestic) water. water
hemlock a poisonous plant, Cicuta maculata, found in marshes etc.:
also called
COWBANE. water-hole a
shallow depression in
which water collects (esp. in the
bed of a river
otherwise dry). water
hyacinth a
tropical river-weed, Eichhornia crassipes. water-ice a
confection of flavoured and
frozen water and
sugar etc.; a
sorbet. water
jump a
place where a
horse in a
steeplechase etc. must jump
over water. water-level 1 a the
surface of the water in a reservoir etc. b the height of this. 2 a
level below which the ground is saturated with water. 3 a level using water to
determine the
horizontal. water
lily any aquatic plant of the family Nymphaeaceae, with
broad flat
floating leaves and
large usu. cup-shaped floating flowers. water-line 1 the line
along which the surface of water touches a ship's
side (marked on a ship for
use in loading). 2 a
linear watermark. water main the main
pipe in a water-supply
system. water-meadow a
meadow periodically flooded by a
stream. water
melon a large
smooth green melon, Citrullus lanatus, with
red pulp and
watery juice. water meter a device for measuring and
recording the amount of water supplied to a
house etc. water-mill a mill worked by a water-wheel. water-nymph a
nymph regarded as inhabiting or presiding over water. water of crystallization water forming an
essential part of the
structure of
some crystals. water of
life rhet.
spiritual enlightenment. water
ouzel =
DIPPER 1. water-pepper an aquatic
herb,
Polygonum hydropiper: also called SMARTWEED. water-pipe 1 a pipe for conveying water. 2 a
hookah. water-pistol a
toy pistol shooting a jet of water. water plantain any ditch-plant of the genus Alisma, with plantain-like leaves. water
polo a game played by swimmers, with a ball like a
football. water-power 1
mechanical force derived from the
weight or
motion of water. 2 a
fall in the level of a river, as a
source of this force. water
purslane a creeping plant, Lythrum portula, growing in
damp places. water rail a wading
bird, Rallus aquaticus, frequenting marshes etc. water-rat = water-vole. water-rate a charge made for the use of the
public water-supply. water-repellent not
easily penetrated by water. water-scorpion any aquatic bug of the family Nepidae,
living submerged and
breathing through a bristle-like
tubular tail. water-softener an
apparatus or substance for softening
hard water. water-soluble
soluble in water. water-splash part of a road submerged by a stream or pool. water
starwort any plant of the genus Callitriche, growing in water. water-supply the
provision and
storage of water, or the amount of water stored, for the use of a
town, house, etc. water-table = water-level 2. water
torture a
form of torture in which the
victim is exposed to the
incessant dripping of water on the head, or the
sound of dripping. water-tower a
tower with an elevated tank to give pressure for distributing water. water under the bridge
past events accepted as past and
irrevocable. water-vole an aquatic vole, esp. Arvicola amphibius. water-weed any of various aquatic plants. water-wheel a
wheel driven by water to
work machinery, or to
raise water. water-wings inflated floats fixed on the arms of a person
learning to
swim. øøwaterer n. waterless adj. [OE wóter f. Gmc, rel. to WET]