- water
- [[t]wɔ͟ːtə(r)[/t]]
♦waters, watering, watered1) N-UNCOUNT Water is a clear thin liquid that has no colour or taste when it is pure. It falls from clouds as rain and enters rivers and seas. All animals and people need water in order to live.
Get me a glass of water.
...the sound of water hammering on the metal roof.
...a trio of children playing along the water's edge.
2) N-PLURAL: with supp You use waters to refer to a large area of sea, especially the area of sea which is near to a country and which is regarded as belonging to it.The ship will remain outside Chinese territorial waters.
...the open waters of the Arctic Ocean.
3) N-PLURAL: adj N You sometimes use waters to refer to a situation which is very complex or difficult....the man brought in to guide him through troubled waters...
The British Government may be in stormy economic waters.
4) VERB If you water plants, you pour water over them in order to help them to grow.[V n] He went out to water the plants.
5) VERB If your eyes water, tears build up in them because they are hurting or because you are upset.His eyes watered from cigarette smoke.
6) VERB If you say that your mouth is watering, you mean that you can smell or see some nice food and you might mean that your mouth is producing a liquid.→ See also mouth-watering...cookies to make your mouth water.
Syn:7) PHR-ERG: V inflects When a pregnant woman's waters break, the fluid in her womb that surrounds the baby passes out of her body, showing that the baby is ready to be born. A doctor or midwife can break a woman's waters so that the birth can begin.My waters broke at six in the morning and within four hours Jamie was born.
8) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that an event or incident is water under the bridge, you mean that it has happened and cannot now be changed, so there is no point in worrying about it any more.He was relieved his time in jail was over and regarded it as water under the bridge.
9) PHRASE If you are in deep water, you are in a difficult or awkward situation.You certainly seem to be in deep water...
I could tell that we were getting off the subject and into deep water.
10) PHRASE: V inflects, usu with brd-neg If an argument or theory does not hold water, it does not seem to be reasonable or be in accordance with the facts.This argument simply cannot hold water in Europe.
11) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v If you are in hot water, you are in trouble. [INFORMAL]The company has already been in hot water over high prices this year.
12) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n If you pour cold water on an idea or suggestion, you show that you have a low opinion of it.City economists pour cold water on the idea that the economic recovery has begun.
13) PHRASE: V and N inflect If you test the water or test the waters, you try to find out what reaction an action or idea will get before you do it or tell it to people.You should be cautious when getting involved and test the water before committing yourself.
Phrasal Verbs:
English dictionary. 2008.
