water

1 noun (U)

1 LIQUID

a) the clear colourless liquid that falls as rain, fills lakes and rivers, and is necessary for life to exist: This reservoir supplies the whole city with water. | The prisoners were given only bread and water. | seawater/bathwater/rainwater (=a particular type of water)

—see also: freshwater, saltwater

b) the supply of water to homes, factories etc through pipes and taps: running water (=water that flows, not kept in a container or pool): All rooms have hot and cold running water. | water shortage (=a situation when there is not much water available)

2 AREA OF WATER

a) an area of water such as a lake, river etc: the water's edge | Denzel dived into the water and swam towards her. | by water (=by boat): We can transport the goods by water.

b) the surface of a lake, river etc: What's that floating on the water? | underwater/under water: a camera designed for use under water

3 waters (plural)

a) the water in a particular lake, river etc: the waters of the Amazon

b) an area of sea near or belonging to a particular country: the coastal waters of Alaska

c) water containing minerals from a natural spring: take the waters (=drink the waters because you think it is good for your health)

4 keep your head above water informal to avoid trouble, especially because of lack of money: The firm is barely keeping its head above water.

5 be (like) water off a duck's back informal if advice, warnings, or rude remarks are like water off a duck's back to someone, they have no effect on them

6 be (all) water under the bridge especially spoken in the past, forgotten, and not worth worrying about: Look, it's all water under the bridge now. Let's leave it behind us.

7 be all water under the bridge used to say that a situation has changed, especially over a long period of time or since a particular event

8 deep/murky/unknown etc waters a situation that is unfamiliar or dangerous

9 waters break when a pregnant woman's waters break, liquid flows out of her body just before the baby is ready to be born

10 high/low water the highest or lowest level of the sea and some rivers; tide

11 water on the brain/knee etc liquid that collects around the brain, knee etc as the result of a disease

12 make/pass water formal to urinate

13 make water if a ship makes water, water gets inside it because of a leak 2 (1)

—see also: soda water, toilet water, in deep water deep 1 (13), take to sth like a duck to water duck 1 (4), of the first water first (30), like a fish out of water fish 1 (3), not hold water hold 1 (41), get into hot water hot 1 (8), muddy the waters muddy 2 (2), pour cold water on pour (7), still waters run deep still 2 (5), test the water test 2 (7), tread water tread 1 (5) 2 verb

1 PLANT/LAND (T) to pour water on an area of land, a plant etc, especially in order to make things grow: You must water the garden, it's very dry.

2 eyes water if your eyes water, tears (tear1 (1)) come out of them because of cold weather, pain etc: Chopping onions always makes my eyes water.

—see also: mouth­watering, make your mouth water mouth 1 (10)

3 ANIMAL (T) to give an animal water to drink

4 BY RIVER (transitive usually passive) technical if an area is watered by a river, the river flows through it and provides it with water: Colombia is watered by several rivers.

5 WEAKEN LIQUID (T) to add water to a drink in order to make it weaker than it should be: Someone had been watering the beer.

water sth down phrasal verb (transitive usually passive)

1 to make a statement, report etc less forceful by removing parts that may offend people

—see also: watered­down

2 to add water to a liquid, especially for dishonest reasons; dilute 1 (1)