water

May I have a glass of water?

Your plants need more water.

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.

1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pages 284–5

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.

2002, Arthur T. Hubbard, Encyclopedia of Surface and Colloid Science, page 4895

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.

2013 May 11, “The climate of Tibet: Pole-land”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8835, page 80

(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.

(uncountable, in particular) The liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O.

The liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O.

Joe bustled back and offered her a glass of wine but she shook her head. “Just a water, please.”

2006, Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Amy Garvey, Bad Boys of Summer, page 91

By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen.

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.

2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist

He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God.

(alchemy, philosophy) The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.

The president expressed hope that creating rain over waters between the countries would help reduce pollution.
Audio (US): (file)

2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

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.

The boat was found within the territorial waters.

These seals are a common sight in the coastal waters of Chile.

(uncountable or in the plural) Water in a body; an area of open water.

But ere he came to Clyde's water, fu' loud the wind did blaw.

1865, William Allingham, editor, The Ballad Book: a selection of the choicest British ballads, William and May Margaret, or the Water of Clyde

(poetic, archaic or dialectal) A body of water, almost always a river, sometimes a lake or reservoir, especially in the names given to such bodies.

Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant.

A combination of water and other substance(s).

A combination of water and other substance(s).

Many people visit Bath to take the waters.

(countable, often in the plural) Spa water.

ammonia water

(pharmacy) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance.

Ser Dunaver's squire Jodge could not hold his water when he slept.

1999, George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam, published 2011, page 458

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)

Amniotic fluid or the amniotic sac containing it. (Used only in the plural in the UK but often also in the singular in North America.)

He suffers from water on the knee.

(colloquial, medicine) Fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling.

The city threatened to cut off our water after we went only a month without paying our bill.

Did you leave the water running again?

(business, often attributive) The water supply, as a service or utility.

The water supply, as a service or utility.

The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm.

(figuratively, in the plural or in the singular) A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.

I know he'll succeed. I feel it in my waters.

(colloquial, figuratively) A person's intuition.

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.

1902 August 2, “Too Much Water to Suit Cummins”, in The Atlanta Constitution

the outstanding stock and bond obligations of the company were reduced from $34,000,000 to $24,000,000 by squeezing out the water.

1920 April 11, “Says Stock 'Water' Didn't Affect Fare”, in New York Times

(uncountable, dated, finance) Excess valuation of securities.

a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent

A particular quality or appearance suggestive of water:

The limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond.

A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc.

en-noun

water (countable and uncountable, plural waters)

couldn't pour water out of a boot with the instructions on the heel

every miller draws water to his own mill

the mill cannot grind with water that is past

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

you can lead horses to water, but you can't make them drink

you don't miss the water till the well runs dry

you never miss the water till the well runs dry

you never miss the water until the well runs dry

desc

Antigua and Barbuda Creole English: wata

Antigua and Barbuda Creole English: wata

Aukan: wataa

Australian Kriol: woda

Belizean Creole: waata

Bislama: wota

Cameroon Pidgin: wata

Grenadian Creole English: wata

Gullah: wata

Islander Creole English: waata

Jamaican Creole: wata

Krio: wata

Nicaraguan Creole: wáta

Pichinglis: wàtá

Pijin: wata

Pitcairn-Norfolk: worta

Saramaccan: wáta

Sranan Tongo: watra

Tok Pisin: wara

→ American Sign Language: 6@Chin

→ Catalan: vàter

→ Spanish: váter

nhaman (Martius' Aldeia da Pedra Coroado)

utyali (pandanus avoidance language, lit. "casuarina tree seedling")

ham (including Mangar, Bokkos, Daffo-Butura, Shagawu)

tuulet

figuratively: state of affairs; conditions

vesi

medical: fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *wed-
Proto-Indo-European *-r̥
Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥
Proto-Germanic *watōr
Proto-West Germanic *watar
Old English wæter
Middle English water
English water
From Middle English water, from Old English wæter (“water”), from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”). The development of the /ɔː/ vowel instead of expected */weɪtə(r)/ is irregular and has not been conclusively explained (compare father).
cognates
Cognate with cf, North Frisian weeter (“water”), Saterland Frisian Woater (“water”), West Frisian wetter (“water”), Dutch water (“water”), Low German Water (“water”), German Wasser, Old Norse vatn (Swedish vatten (“water”), Danish vand (“water”), Norwegian Bokmål vann (“water”), Norwegian Nynorsk and Icelandic vatn (“water”), Old Irish coin fodorne (“otters”, literally “water-dogs”), Latin unda (“wave”), Lithuanian vanduõ (“water”), Russian вода́ (vodá, “water”), Albanian ujë (“water”), Ancient Greek ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”), Armenian գետ (get, “river”), Sanskrit उदन् (udán, “wave, water”), Hittite 𒉿𒀀𒋻 (wa-a-tar).

cog

Northern England, dated; obsolete elsewhere

[ˈʋaːʈər(ɯ)]


water

Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her.

1900, L. Frank Baum, chapter 24, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

(transitive) To pour water into the soil surrounding (plants).

(transitive) To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate.

While they watered and washed their horses, I talked with a red-capped man, some kind of chief.

I need to water the cattle.

(transitive) To provide (animals) with water for drinking.

The ship put into port to water.

After working the 1.30 p.m. through train from Forres to Aberdeen as far as Elgin, she returns tender first with a local passenger train and is then coaled and watered at Forres shed, and eventually works back to Perth on the 10.20 p.m. through freight.

1944 January and February, W. McGowan Gradon, “Forres as a Railway Centre”, in Railway Magazine, page 23

Nature called, so I stepped into the woods and watered a tree.

(transitive, colloquial) To urinate onto.

Can you water the whisky, please?

such agencies would make it possible for the railroads to water stock and evade the law subjecting security issues to public regulation

1930 April 10, “Calls Rail Holding Companies Threat”, in The Sun

(transitive, dated, finance) To overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting.

Chopping onions makes my eyes water.

The smell of fried onions makes my mouth water.

(intransitive) To fill with or secrete water or similar liquid.

to water silk

(transitive) To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines.

en-verb

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

waters (present singular third-person)
watering (participle present)
watered (participle past)
watered (past)

ἄρδω

to pour water into the soil surrounding (plants)

水を積み込む

to take on (drinking) water, as a ship in resupply

pītoritoriwai

of the eyes due to irritation such as dryness

From Middle English wateren, from Old English wæterian, from Proto-Germanic *watrōną, *watrijaną, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”).
cognates
Cognate with Scots watter (“water”), 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”).

[ˈʋaːʈər(ɯ)]