water

American  

[waw-ter, wot-er] / ˈwɔ tər, ˈwɒt ər /

noun

• waters
  plural

1. 1. a transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid, a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, H 2 O, freezing at 32°F or 0°C and boiling at 212°F or 100°C, that in a more or less impure state constitutes rain, oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.: it contains 11.188 percent hydrogen and 88.812 percent oxygen, by weight.

   2. a special form or variety of this liquid, such as rain.

2. the liquid content of a river, inlet, etc., with reference to its relative height, especially as dependent on tide.

   There is a difference of 20 feet between high and low water.

3. the surface of a stream, river, lake, ocean, etc..

   above, below, or on the water.

4. waters,

   1. flowing water, or water moving in waves.

      The wreckage of the dock was carried away on the river's mighty waters.

   2. the sea or seas bordering a particular country or continent or located in a particular part of the world.

      We left San Diego and sailed south for Mexican waters.

5. a liquid solution or preparation, especially one used for cosmetic purposes.

   lavender water;

   lemon water.

6. Medicine/Medical. Often waters.

   1. amniotic fluid.

   2. the bag of waters; amnion.

      Her water broke at 2 a.m.

7. any of various solutions of volatile or gaseous substances in water.

   ammonia water.

8. any liquid organic secretion that is mostly water, such as tears, perspiration, or urine.

   At the sad news, her chin trembled, and water sprang to her eyes.

9. Often waters. water in an impure state as obtained from a mineral spring.

   Last year we went to Marienbad for the waters.

10. Finance. fictitious assets or the inflated values they give to the stock of a corporation.

11. a wavy, lustrous pattern or marking, as on silk fabrics or metal surfaces.

12. (formerly) the degree of transparency and brilliancy of a diamond or other precious stone.

    They were diamonds of the first water.

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verb (used with object)

• waters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• watered,
  past participle,  past
• watering
  present participle

1. to sprinkle, moisten, or drench with water.

   She watered the flowers with the hose.

   The fields were well watered by a heavy rain.

2. to supply (animals) with water for drinking.

   He filled the trough to water the horses.

3. to furnish with a supply of water, as a ship.

4. to furnish water to (a region), as by streams, or to supply (land) with water, as by irrigation.

   The valley is watered by a branch of the Colorado River.

   Our land is watered by the All-American Canal.

5. to dilute, weaken, soften, or adulterate with, or as with, water (often followed bydown ).

   We had to water the soup to make it go around.

   Don’t water down the report, even if it’s unfavorable.

6. Finance. to issue or increase the par value of (shares of stock) without having the assets to warrant doing so (often followed bydown ).

verb (used without object)

• waters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• watered,
  past participle,  past
• watering
  present participle

1. to fill with or secrete water or liquid, as the eyes do when irritated, or as the mouth does at the sight or thought of tempting food.

   The smoke from the bonfire made his eyes water.

   My mouth watered when I smelled the turkey roasting.

2. (of an animal) to drink water.

   The deer came down to water at the lake at dawn.

3. to take in a supply of water, as a ship.

   Our ship will water at Savannah.

adjective

1. of or relating to water in any way.

   a water journey.

2. holding, or designed to hold, water.

   a water jug.

3. worked or powered by water.

   a water turbine.

4. heating, pumping, or circulating water (often used in combination).

   hot-water furnace;

   city waterworks.

5. used in or on water.

   water skis.

6. containing or prepared with water, as for hardening or dilution.

   water mortar.

7. located or occurring on, in, or by water.

   water music;

   water frontage.

8. residing by or in, or ruling over, water.

   water people;

   water deities.

idioms

1. above water, free from embarrassment or trouble, especially of a financial nature.

   They had so many medical bills that they could hardly keep their heads above water.

2. water under the bridge, something that is past and cannot be changed, and is therefore not worth brooding or worrying about.

   The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth, but it’s all water under the bridge now and life has moved on.

3. in deep water, in great distress or difficulty.

   Their marriage has been in deep water for some time.

4. hold water,

   1. to be logical, defensible, or valid.

      That accusation won't hold water.

   2. to check the movement of a rowboat by keeping the oars steady with the blades vertical.

5. like water, lavishly; abundantly; freely.

   The champagne flowed like water.

6. in hot water, in trouble; in a predicament.

   Unflattering comments about his rivals have landed the comedian in hot water.

7. make water,

   1. (of a boat) to allow water to enter; leak.

   2. to urinate.

8. tread water. tread.

9. take (on) water, (of a boat) to allow water to enter through leaks or portholes or over the side.

   Our dinghy took water over the bow from time to time, as the lake was very rough.

   A distress call was received from a boat that was taking on water.

10. break water,

    1. to break the surface of the water by emerging from it.

    2. Swimming. to break the surface of the water with the feet, especially in swimming the breaststroke doing the frog kick.

    3. Medicine/Medical. to break the amniotic sac prior to parturition.

11. make one's mouth water, to excite a desire or appetite for something.

    The roasting turkey made our mouths water.

12. by water, by ship or boat.

    to send goods by water.

13. dead in the water. dead.

water British  

/ ˈwɔːtə /

noun

1. a clear colourless tasteless odourless liquid that is essential for plant and animal life and constitutes, in impure form, rain, oceans, rivers, lakes, etc. It is a neutral substance, an effective solvent for many compounds, and is used as a standard for many physical properties. Formula: H 2 O

2. 1. any body or area of this liquid, such as a sea, lake, river, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      water sports

      water transport

      a water plant

3. the surface of such a body or area

   fish swam below the water

4. any form or variety of this liquid, such as rain

5. See high water low water

6. any of various solutions of chemical substances in water

   lithia water

   ammonia water

7. physiol

   1. any fluid secreted from the body, such as sweat, urine, or tears

   2. (usually plural) the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus in the womb

8. a wavy lustrous finish on some fabrics, esp silk

9. archaic the degree of brilliance in a diamond See also first water

10. excellence, quality, or degree (in the phrase of the first water )

11. finance

    1. capital stock issued without a corresponding increase in paid-up capital, so that the book value of the company's capital is not fully represented by assets or earning power

    2. the fictitious or unrealistic asset entries that reflect such inflated book value of capital

12. (modifier) astrology of or relating to the three signs of the zodiac Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces Compare air earth fire

13. informal out of trouble or difficulty, esp financial trouble

14. to prove credible, logical, or consistent

    the alibi did not hold water

15. in trouble or difficulty

16. 1. to urinate

    2. (of a boat, hull, etc) to let in water

17. to urinate

18. See test 1

19. informal to be unenthusiastic about or discourage

20. events that are past and done with

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verb

1. (tr) to sprinkle, moisten, or soak with water

2. to weaken by the addition of water

3. (intr) (of the eyes) to fill with tears

4. (intr) (of the mouth) to salivate, esp in anticipation of food (esp in the phrase make one's mouth water )

5. (tr) to irrigate or provide with water

   to water the land

   he watered the cattle

6. (intr) to drink water

7. (intr) (of a ship, etc) to take in a supply of water

8. (tr) finance to raise the par value of (issued capital stock) without a corresponding increase in the real value of assets

9. (tr) to produce a wavy lustrous finish on (fabrics, esp silk)

water Scientific  

/ wô′tər /

1. A colorless, odorless compound of hydrogen and oxygen. Water covers about three-quarters of the Earth's surface in solid form (ice) and liquid form, and is prevalent in the lower atmosphere in its gaseous form, water vapor. Water is an unusually good solvent for a large variety of substances, and is an essential component of all organisms, being necessary for most biological processes. Unlike most substances, water is less dense as ice than in liquid form; thus, ice floats on liquid water. Water freezes at 0°C (32°F) and boils at 100°C (212°F). Chemical formula: H ₂ O.

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water More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing water

• above water
• backwater
• blood is thicker than water
• blow out (of the water)
• come on in (the water's fine)
• dead in the water
• fish in troubled waters
• fish out of water
• head above water
• hell or high water
• high-water mark
• hold water
• hot water
• in deep (water)
• keep one's head (above water)
• like water off a duck's back
• make one's mouth water
• muddy the waters
• of the first water
• pour cold water on
• pour oil on troubled waters
• still waters run deep
• take to (like a duck to water)
• throw out the baby with the bath water
• tread water
• you can lead a horse to water

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• waterer
  noun
• waterlessness
  noun
• overwater
  verb
• rewater
  verb
• outwater
  verb (used with object)
• water-like
  adjective
• waterish
  adjective
• waterless
  adjective
• waterlike
  adjective
• waterlessly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• waters
  plural

Participles

• watering
  present
• watered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• water
  simple
• waters
  simple
• have watered
  perfect
• has watered
  perfect
• am watering
  progressive
• are watering
  progressive
• is watering
  progressive
• have been watering
  perfect progressive
• has been watering
  perfect progressive

Past

• watered
  simple
• had watered
  perfect
• was watering
  progressive
• were watering
  progressive
• had been watering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will water
  simple
• will have watered
  perfect
• will be watering
  progressive
• will have been watering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of water

First recorded before 900; (for the noun) Middle English wæter, water, watre, Old English uæt(t)er, wæter; cognate with Dutch water, German Wasser, Old Norse vatn, vatr Gothic wato; akin to Hittite watar, Greek hýdōr, Irish uisce, Russian vodá; (for the verb) Middle English watere(n), Old English wæterian, wetrian “to give water to, irrigate, moisten,” derivative of the noun

Explanation

The liquid that is made up of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen is water. Water takes up over seventy percent of the earth’s surface. Your body is made of about sixty percent water. Water can be a noun: it is the colorless, odorless liquid that all living things need to survive. Water can be a verb: as in watering the plants, getting teary, or urinating. When people talk about freezing and boiling, they are usually talking about the temperatures at which water freezes (32˚ F) and boils (212˚ F). Humans use water to bathe, cook, make fountains in the backyard, and mix with lemon juice and sugar to make lemonade.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

water waters watered watering

Chinese vessels have also used water cannon and other tactics to ward off Philippine boats from disputed features.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

“We joked about getting him one of those water dispensers that gerbils use,” says Crawford.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Potential human remains, including a jaw with teeth still attached, have been recovered from the largest reservoir in the US, officials said, as an ongoing drought causes water levels to drop across western states.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

GE HealthCare, the Chicago-based medical imaging and diagnostic company, has hired William Grogan as its new chief financial officer, plucking the executive from water solutions company Xylem.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Getting up, I splash more cold water on my face, a plan taking shape in my mind.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

During the Cold War, the deep and sheltered waters of the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay hosted aircraft carriers and submarines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Its waters supported giant turtles and crocodylians, while an extraordinary collection of hunters prowled the surrounding shores.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026

Whales and sharks breach and hunt in the waters beyond the thick kelp forests that tickle its edges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

The "Dubai Tower" left the eastern port city of Ningbo on Saturday evening heading north, where it will pass through the Bering Strait, then turn west through the frigid waters along Russia's northern coast.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

There is a town nearby called Siete Aguas, and I try to imagine what seven waters the town is named for.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

“The ‘Full Fare Rule’ is a vital underpinning of modern flight shopping and must not be repealed or watered down in any way,” wrote Jason Rabinowitz on July 8.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

During the brief return, Jose Luis watered the plants and grabbed his electric razor.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

If it did pay dividends on watered stock, the public assumed it was being overcharged.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The Scots' first game against Haiti doesn't kick off until 2am on 14 June and Kieran, a professional chef, has ensured all 150 guests making it through the night will be amply fed and watered.

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026

He watered and tethered his horse, then stepped inside.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

As an establishment that has long provided first jobs for young people, the watering hole also speaks to one of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s toughest economic challenges: getting young Britons into work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Water companies in parts of England and Wales have imposed bans on using hose pipes for household tasks and watering plants.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Even with its reputation as a watering hole for Hollywood’s biggest names, Dan Tana refused to pander to celebrities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Anglian Water said people could still water fruit, vegetables and gardens using a watering can.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Naomi wipes her eyes, which are watering from laughing.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• bathe
• dilute
• flood
• inundate
• irrigate
• moisten
• soak
• spray
• sprinkle
• thin
• wash
• wet