User:Jberkel/sandbox/water

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See also: wáter, wàter, wāter, and Water

English[edit]

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A water molecule.

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English water, from Old English wæter (water), from Proto-Germanic *watōr (water), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (water).

Noun[edit]

water (1,2)

water (countable and uncountable, plural waters)

  1. (uncountable) A substance (of molecular formula H₂O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gaseous form is steam.
    By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen.
    • 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist:
      Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.
    1. (uncountable, in particular) The liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O.
      May I have a glass of water?
      Your plants need more water.
      • 1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pp.284-5
        Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.
      • 2002, Arthur T. Hubbard, Encyclopedia of Surface and Colloid Science →ISBN, page 4895:
        A water drop placed on the surface of ice can either spread or form a lens depending on the properties of the three phases involved in wetting, i.e., on the properties of the ice, water, and gas phases.
      • 2013 May 11, “The climate of Tibet: Pole-land”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8835, page 80:
        Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest. It is binary. And for the land beneath, the air above and the life around, it changes everything.
      • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Jberkel/sandbox/water.
    2. (countable) A serving of liquid water.
      • 2006, Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Amy Garvey, Bad Boys of Summer, →ISBN, page 91:
        Joe bustled back and offered her a glass of wine but she shook her head. “Just a water, please.”
  2. (alchemy, philosophy) The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
    And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
    He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God.
  3. (uncountable or in the plural) Water in a body; an area of open water.
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.
    • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
      The president expressed hope that creating rain over waters between the countries would help reduce pollution.
      (file)
    The boat was found within the territorial waters.
    These seals are a common sight in the coastal waters of Chile.
  4. (poetic, archaic or dialectal) A body of water, almost always a river.
    • 1865, William Allingham (ed.), The Ballad Book: a selection of the choicest British ballads, William and May Margaret, or the Water of Clyde:
      But ere he came to Clyde's water, fu' loud the wind did blaw.
    • 1526, William Tyndale (tr.), Bible, Acts VIII:
      And as they went on their waye, they cam unto a certayne water, and the gelded man sayde: Se here is water, what shall lett me to be baptised?
    • (Can we date this quote?), Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Morte D'Arthur:
      On one side lay the Ocean, and on one / Lay a great water, and the moon was full.
  5. A combination of water and other substance(s).
    1. (sometimes countable) Mineral water.
      Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant.
    2. (countable, often in the plural) Spa water.
      Many people visit Bath to take the waters.
    3. (pharmacy) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance.
      ammonia water
    4. Urine. [from 15th c.]
      • 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam, published 2011, page 458:
        Ser Dunaver's squire Jodge could not hold his water when he slept.
    5. Amniotic fluid. (Used only in the plural in the UK but often also in the singular in North America. (The Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary says "often used in plural; also: bag of waters".))
      Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s water breaks. (North America)
      Before your child is born, your water(s) will break. (North America)
      Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s waters break. (UK)
    6. (colloquial, medicine) Fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling.
      He suffers from water on the knee.
  6. (figuratively, in the plural or in the singular) A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.
    The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm.
  7. (colloquial, figuratively) A person's intuition.
    I know he'll succeed. I feel it in my waters.
  8. (uncountable, dated, finance) Excess valuation of securities.
    • 1902 August 2, “Too Much Water to Suit Cummins”, in The Atlanta Constitution:
      Iowa Governor Will Fight Rock Island Reorganization. He Says That Under the New Plan Too Much Water Is Put Into the Stock—Believes Plan Is Out of Harmony with Iowa Laws.
    • 1920 April 11, “Says Stock 'Water' Didn't Affect Fare”, in New York Times:
      the outstanding stock and bond obligations of the company were reduced from $34,000,000 to $24,000,000 by squeezing out the water.
  9. The limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond.
    a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent
    • 1928, Virginia Woolf, Orlando:
      And when she raised it to see what caused this agitation, she saw nothing—nothing but the vast solitary emerald which Queen Elizabeth had given her. And was that not enough? she asked. It was of the finest water.
  10. A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc.
Alternative forms[edit]
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Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English wateren, watren, from Old English wæterian, ġewæterian, from Proto-Germanic *watrōną, *watrijaną, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (water), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (water). Cognate with Saterland Frisian woaterje (to water), West Frisian wetterje (to water), Dutch wateren (to water), German Low German watern (to water), German wässern (to water), Danish vande (to water), Swedish vattna (to water), Icelandic vatna (to water).

Verb[edit]

water (third-person singular simple present waters, present participle watering, simple past and past participle watered)

to water (1)
  1. (transitive) To pour water into the soil surrounding (plants).
    • 1900, L. Frank Baum, chapter 24, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:
      Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her.
  2. (transitive) To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate.
    • (Can we date this quote by John Milton and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      tears watering the ground
    • (Can we date this quote by Longfellow and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands.
  3. (transitive) To provide (animals) with water for drinking.
    I need to go water the cattle.
  4. (intransitive) To get or take in water.
    The ship put into port to water.
  5. (transitive, colloquial) To urinate onto.
    Nature called, so I stepped into the woods and watered a tree.
  6. (transitive) To dilute.
    Can you water the whisky, please?
  7. (transitive, dated, finance) To overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting.
    • 1930 April 10, “Calls Rail Holding Companies Threat”, in The Sun:
      such agencies would make it possible for the railroads to water stock and evade the law subjecting security issues to public regulation
  8. (intransitive) To fill with or secrete water.
    Chopping onions makes my eyes water.
    The smell of fried onions makes my mouth water.
  9. (transitive) To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines.
    to water silk
Synonyms[edit]
Antonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Terms derived from the verb water
Translations[edit]
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading[edit]

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