/ˈwɔ.təɹ/, [ˈwɔ.ɾɚ], /ˈwɑ.təɹ/
Origin* As an English surname, from the medieval pronunciation of the name Walter.
* As an English and German surname, from the noun water.
* As an Irish surname, adopted as a translation from Ó Fuartháin (see Foran), mistaken for Ó Fuaruisce (“son of cold water”), from fuar + uisce.
- A hamlet in Manaton parish, Teignbridge district, Devon, England (OS grid ref SX7580).
- A hamlet on the B6238 Burnley Road in Rossendale borough, Lancashire, England (OS grid ref SD8425).
- A barangay of Baco, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines (unconfirmed).
- A surname
- uncountableAn inorganic compound (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.
“By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen.”
“It is wholly out of the power of language to convey any idea of the blissful enjoyment of obtaining water, after an almost total want of it, during eight and forty hours, in the scorching regions of a”
“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 ene”
- uncountableThe liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O.
“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.”
- countableA serving of liquid water.
“Joe bustled back and offered her a glass of wine but she shook her head. “Just a water, please.””
- countable, uncountableThe aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
“He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God.”
- in-plural, uncountableWater in a body; an area of open water.
“Roſa. O vain peticioner, beg a greater matter,
Thou now requeſts but Mooneſhine in the water.”
“'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks whe”
“"If you foresee the event and you go forward, then you are criminally negligent," she said, adding, "This was a boat that navigated on the waters of Lake George since 1979. In terms of criminal neglig”
- archaic, countable, dialectal, poetic, uncountableA body of water, almost always a river, sometimes a lake or reservoir, especially in the names given to such bodies.
“And as they went on their waye
they cam vnto a certayne water
and the gelded man ſayde: Se here is water
what ſhall lett me to be baptiſed?”
“On one side lay the Ocean, and on one
Lay a great water, and the moon was full.”
“But ere he came to Clyde's water, fu' loud the wind did blaw.”
- countable, sometimesMineral water.
“Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant.”
- countable, in-plural, oftenSpa water; hot springs.
“Many people visit Bath to take the waters.”
“Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Captain Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed.”
- countable, uncountableA solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance.
- countable, uncountableUrine.
“Ser Dunaver's squire Jodge could not hold his water when he slept.”
- countable, uncountableAmniotic fluid or the amniotic sac containing it. (Used only in the plural in the UK but often also in the singular in North America.)
“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)”
- colloquial, countable, uncountableA fluid that causes swelling.
“He suffers from water on the knee.”
- attributive, countable, often, uncountableThe water supply, as a service or utility.
“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?”
- countable, figuratively, in-plural, singular, uncountableA state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.
“The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm.”
- colloquial, countable, figuratively, uncountableA person's intuition.
“I know he'll succeed. I feel it in my waters.”
- dated, uncountableExcess valuation of securities.
“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.”
“the outstanding stock and bond obligations of the company were reduced from $34,000,000 to $24,000,000 by squeezing out the water.”
- colloquial, countable, figuratively, uncountableSomething which dilutes, or has the effect of watering down.
“Thanks for the great video. No water, 100% substance!”
- countable, uncountableThe limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond.
“a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent”
“And when she raised it to see what caused this agitation, she saw nothing—nothing but the vast solitary emerald which Queen Elizabeth had given her. And was that not enough? she asked. It was of the f”
- countable, uncountableA wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc.
- transitiveTo pour water into the soil surrounding (plants).
“Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her.”
- transitiveTo wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate.
“tears watering the ground”
“Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands.”
- transitiveTo provide (animals) with water for drinking.
“I need to water the cattle.”
“While they watered and washed their horses, I talked with a red-capped man, some kind of chief.”
- intransitiveTo get or take in water.
“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 w”
- colloquial, transitiveTo urinate onto.
“Nature called, so I stepped into the woods and watered a tree.”
- transitiveTo dilute.
“Can you water the whisky, please?”
- dated, transitiveTo overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting.
“such agencies would make it possible for the railroads to water stock and evade the law subjecting security issues to public regulation”
- intransitiveTo fill with or secrete water or similar liquid.
“Chopping onions makes my eyes water.”
“The smell of fried onions makes my mouth water.”
- transitiveTo wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines.
Formswaters(plural) · wahter(alternative, pronunciation-spelling) · wahtuh(alternative, pronunciation-spelling) · waters(present, singular, third-person) · watering(participle, present) · watered(participle, past) · watered(past)