water (waters plural & 3rd person present) (watering present participle) (watered past tense & past participle )
1 n-uncount Water is a clear thin liquid that has no colour or taste when it is pure. It falls from clouds as rain and enters rivers and seas. All animals and people need water in order to live.
Get me a glass of water., ...the sound of water hammering on the metal roof., ...a trio of children playing along the water's edge.
2 n-plural You use waters to refer to a large area of sea, especially the area of sea which is near to a country and which is regarded as belonging to it.
with supp
The ship will remain outside Chinese territorial waters., ...the open waters of the Arctic Ocean.
3 n-plural You sometimes use waters to refer to a situation which is very complex or difficult.
adj N
...the man brought in to guide him through troubled waters..., The British Government may be in stormy economic waters.
4 verb If you water plants, you pour water over them in order to help them to grow.
He went out to water the plants. V n
5 verb If your eyes water, tears build up in them because they are hurting or because you are upset.
His eyes watered from cigarette smoke. V
6 verb If you say that your mouth is watering, you mean that you can smell or see some nice food and you might mean that your mouth is producing a liquid.
...cookies to make your mouth water. V
→
mouth-watering
7 When a pregnant woman's waters break, the fluid in her womb that surrounds the baby passes out of her body, showing that the baby is ready to be born. A doctor or midwife can break a woman's waters so that the birth can begin.
waters break/break sb's waters phrase V inflects
My waters broke at six in the morning and within four hours Jamie was born.
8 If you say that an event or incident is water under the bridge, you mean that it has happened and cannot now be changed, so there is no point in worrying about it any more.
water under the bridge phrase v-link PHR
He was relieved his time in jail was over and regarded it as water under the bridge.
9 If you are in deep water, you are in a difficult or awkward situation.
in/into deep water phrase
I could tell that we were getting off the subject and into deep water.
10 If an argument or theory does not hold water, it does not seem to be reasonable or be in accordance with the facts.
hold water phrase V inflects, usu with brd-neg
This argument simply cannot hold water in Europe.
11 If you are in hot water, you are in trouble.
INFORMAL
in hot water phrase v-link PHR, PHR after v
The company has already been in hot water over high prices this year.
12 If you pour cold water on an idea or suggestion, you show that you have a low opinion of it.
pour cold water on sth phrase V inflects, PHR n
City economists pour cold water on the idea that the economic recovery has begun.
13 If you test the water or test the waters, you try to find out what reaction an action or idea will get before you do it or tell it to people.
test the water/test the waters phrase V and N inflect
You should be cautious when getting involved and test the water before committing yourself.
14
→
like water off a duck's back
→
duck
→
to take to something like a duck to water
→
duck
→
to keep your head above water
→
head water down
1 phrasal verb If you water down a substance, for example food or drink, you add water to it to make it weaker.
(=dilute)
You can water down a glass of wine and make it last twice as long... V P n (not pron)
I bought a water-based paint, then decided to water it down even more. V n P
2 verb If something such as a proposal, speech, or statement is watered down, it is made much weaker and less forceful, or less likely to make people angry.
(=tone down) Proposed legislation affecting bird-keepers has been watered down. be V-ed P →
watered-down
barley water
Barley water is a drink made from barley. It is sometimes flavoured with orange or lemon. n-uncount
bath water , bathwater
Your bath water is the water in which you sit or lie when you have a bath. n-uncount
→
to throw the baby out with the bath water
→
baby
drinking water
Drinking water is water which it is safe to drink. n-uncount
high water
High water is the time at which the water in a river or sea is at its highest level as a result of the tide. n-uncount
(=high tide)
Fishing is possible for a couple of hours either side of high water.
→
come hell or high water
→
hell
high-water mark , high water mark
1 n-sing The high-water mark is the level reached in a particular place by the sea at high tide or by a river in flood.
the N
2 n-sing The high-water markof a process is its highest or most successful stage of achievement.
with supp, oft N of/for n
This was almost certainly the high-water mark of her career...
hot-water bottle (hot-water bottles plural ), hot water bottle A hot-water bottle is a rubber container that you fill with hot water and put in a bed to make it warm. n-count
ice water
Ice water is very cold water served as a drink.
(AM) n-uncount
low water
Low water is the same as low tide. n-uncount
mineral water (mineral waters plural )Mineral water is water that comes out of the ground naturally and is considered healthy to drink. n-mass
salt water , saltwater
Salt water is water from the sea, which has salt in it. n-uncount
(Antonym: fresh water)
sea water , seawater
Sea water is salt water from the sea. n-uncount
soda water , soda-water
Soda water is fizzy water used for mixing with alcoholic drinks and fruit juice. n-uncount
(=soda)
tap water
Tap water is the water that comes out of a tap in a building such as a house or a hotel. n-uncount
toilet water (toilet waters plural )Toilet water is fairly weak and inexpensive perfume. n-mass
water bird (water birds plural )A water bird is a bird that swims or walks in water, especially lakes and rivers. There are many kinds of water bird. n-count
water-borne , waterborne
1 adj A water-borne disease or infection is one that people can catch from infected water.
ADJ n
2 adj Something that is water-borne travels or is transported on water.
ADJ n
...a waterborne safari down the Nile..., Environmental pressures are strengthening the case for waterborne freight.
water bottle (water bottles plural )A water bottle is a small container for carrying water to drink on a long journey. n-count
→
hot-water bottle
water buffalo (water buffaloes plural) (water buffalo plural )A water buffalo is an animal like a large cow with long horns that curve upwards. In some countries water buffalo are kept for their milk and are used to draw ploughs. n-count
(=buffalo)
water butt (water butts plural )A water butt is a large barrel for collecting rain as it flows off a roof.
(BRIT) n-count
in AM, use rain barrel
water cannon (water cannons plural) (water cannon plural )A water cannon is a machine which shoots out a large, powerful stream of water. It is used by police to break up crowds of people who are protesting or fighting. n-count
water chestnut (water chestnuts plural )A water chestnut is the thick bottom part of the stem of a plant which grows in China. It is used in Chinese cookery. n-count
water cooler (water coolers plural )
1 n-count A water cooler is a machine that dispenses drinking water, especially in an office.
(mainly AM)
2 n-sing Water cooler is used in expressions that refer to the informal conversations that people have in their office or workplace.
Three out of four Americans watched Roots, and then the next day could talk about race relations at the water cooler.
water feature (water features plural )A water feature is something such as an artificial pond or waterfall, usually in a garden. n-count
water hole (water holes plural ), waterhole In a desert or other dry area, a water hole is a pool of water where animals can drink. n-count
water jump (water jumps plural )A water jump is a fence with a pool of water on the far side of it, which people or horses jump over as part of a race or competition. n-count
water lily (water lilies plural ), waterlily A water lily is a plant with large flat leaves and colourful flowers which floats on the surface of lakes and rivers. n-count
water main (water mains plural )A water main is a very large underground pipe used for supplying water to houses and factories. n-count
water meadow (water meadows plural )Water meadows are wet fields of grass near a river, which are often flooded.
(mainly BRIT) n-count usu pl
water pistol (water pistols plural )A water pistol is a small toy gun which shoots out water. n-count
water polo
Water polo is a game played in a swimming pool in which two teams of swimmers try to score goals with a ball. n-uncount
water rate (water rates plural )In Britain, the charges made for the use of water from the public water supply are known as the water rates. n-count usu pl
water-resistant
Something that is water-resistant does not allow water to pass through it easily, or is not easily damaged by water. adj
Microfibre fabrics are both water resistant and windproof...
water-ski (water-skis 3rd person present) (water-skiing present participle) (water-skied past tense & past participle ), waterski If you water-ski, you stand on skis in the water while being pulled along by a boat. verb
The staff will be happy to help arrange for you to swim, sail, or water-ski. V
water-skiing n-uncount
He offered to teach them water-skiing.
water-soluble , water soluble
Something that is water-soluble dissolves in water. adj
Vitamin C is water soluble., ...oat bran and other water-soluble fibres.
water supply (water supplies plural )The water supply in an area is the water which is collected and passed through pipes to buildings for people to use. n-count
The town is without electricity and the water supply has been cut off.
water table (water tables plural )Thewater table is the level below the surface of the ground where water can be found. n-count usu the N
Environmentalists say that diverting water from the river will lower the water table and dry out wells.
water tower (water towers plural )A water tower is a large tank of water which is placed on a high metal structure so that water can be supplied at a steady pressure to surrounding buildings. n-count
water vole (water voles plural )A water vole is a small furry animal that can swim. Water voles live in holes in the banks of rivers.
(mainly BRIT) n-count
water wheel (water wheels plural ), waterwheel A water wheel is a large wheel which is turned by water flowing through it. Water wheels are used to provide power to drive machinery. n-count
white-water rafting
White-water rafting is the activity of riding on a raft over rough, dangerous parts of a fast-flowing river. n-uncount
