branch water

American  

noun

1. water in or from a branch, creek, stream, etc.; pure, natural water.

2. Also called branch.  Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. (in a drink, highball, etc.) plain water as distinguished from soda water, ginger ale, or the like; ordinary water.

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Etymology

Origin of branch water

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Take the mixers: Brown says that he's having limestone-rich branch water shipped in from Kentucky, and Speyside mineral water shipped from Scotland.

From Washington Post • Jan. 21, 2016

But a lot of branch water has gone into the bourbon since then.

From Time Magazine Archive

Elvis Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demands branch water from an arcane spring in the Ozarks for his bourbon.

From Time Magazine Archive

Before these three rode away, I said, aside to Jim, who was one of them, 'Don't bother about any whiskey; branch water is plenty nourishing for the wounded.

From Cattle Brands A Collection of Western Camp-fire Stories by Adams, Andy

I decided I'd better wash the dipper in the branch water before I stuck it into the deep, clear spring.

From Great Jehoshaphat and Gully Dirt! by Smith, Jewell Ellen