ditchwater

American  

[dich-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈdɪtʃˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /

noun

1. water, especially stagnant and dirty water, that has collected in a ditch.

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idioms

1. dull as ditchwater. dishwater.

ditchwater British  

/ ˈdɪtʃˌwɔːtə /

noun

1. stagnant water

2. extremely uninspiring

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Etymology

Origin of ditchwater

1275–1325; Middle English. See ditch, water

Example Sentences

"Despite the thousands of outraged words that have been written accusing it of turning the royal family into a cheap soap opera... the first three episodes are ditchwater dull. But here's the good news. It gets better. Much better," The Times wrote.

From Reuters

One cabinet minister said: "That day there were two options - either go in and be overly apologetic and dull as ditchwater or you come out fighting. Boris Johnson's instinct was to come out fighting - and keep using a turn of phrase that was getting cut through with the public, whether they liked it or not."

From BBC

“Each night I pray and think of my country,” says Vera, ringing out ditchwater from her clothes.

From The Guardian

They called you Ditchwater Sal, when you were a young chit of a thing, thought the witch-queen, but she did not say this aloud.

From Literature

And now he would have to sit in the blind with ditchwater soaking into the seat of his pants.

From Literature