water
water [water waters watered watering] noun, verb BrE [ˈwɔːtə(r)] NAmE [ˈwɔːtər] NAmE [ˈwɑːtər]
noun
1. uncountable a liquid without colour, smell or taste that falls as rain, is in lakes, rivers and seas, and is used for drinking, washing, etc
•a glass of water
•drinking water
•water pollution
•clean/dirty water
•water shortages
• There is hot and cold running water in all the bedrooms.
• The water (= the supply of water) was turned off for several hours each day during the drought.
see also ↑bathwater
2. uncountable an area of water, especially a lake, river, sea or ocean
• We walked down to the water's edge.
• She fell into the water.
•shallow/deep water
•In the lagoon the water was calm.
see also ↑backwater, ↑breakwater
3. watersplural the water in a particular lake, river, sea or ocean
•the grey waters of the River Clyde
• This species is found in coastal waters around the Indian Ocean.
4. uncountable the surface of a mass of water
• She dived under the water.
• The leaves floated on the water.
•He disappeared under the water.
•I could see my reflection in the water.
see also ↑underwater
5. watersplural an area of sea or ocean belonging to a particular country
•We were still in British waters.
•fishing in international waters
see also ↑territorial waters
6. watersplural murky, uncharted, stormy, dangerous, etc. ~ used to describe a situation, usually one that is difficult, dangerous or not familiar
•The conversation got into the murky waters of jealousy and relationships.
•The government has warned of stormy waters ahead.
•I was going into uncharted waters. There are many other compounds ending in water. You will find them at their place in the alphabet.
more at blood is thicker than water at ↑blood, blow sb/sth out of the water at ↑blow v., pour/throw cold water on sth at ↑cold adj., dead in the water at ↑dead adj., in deep water(s) at ↑deep adj., dip a toe in/into the water at ↑dip v., (take to sth) like a duck to water at ↑duck n., a fish out of water at ↑fish n., keep your head above water at ↑head n., (come) hell or high water at ↑hell, you can lead/take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink at ↑horse n., be in/get into hot water at ↑hot adj., pass water at ↑pass v., pour oil on troubled water(s) at ↑pour, still waters run deep at ↑still adj., test the waters at ↑test v., tread water at ↑tread adj.
Word Origin:
Old English wæter (noun), wæterian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch water, German Wasser, from an Indo-European root shared by Russian voda (compare with ↑vodka), also by Latin unda ‘wave’ and Greek hudōr ‘water’.
Example Bank:
•Alexis filled the sink with soapy water.
•All the rooms have hot and cold running water.
•An abandoned town lies under the water of the reservoir.
•As the weather heats up, water evaporates.
•At last the boat reached safer waters.
•Avoid drinking the tap water when you first arrive in the country.
•Brown water gushed out of the rusty old tap.
•Building can be difficult where the water table lies close to the surface.
•Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water.
•Don't slosh too much water on the floor when you're having a bath.
•Goods were often transported by water in the 19th century.
•He kept sprinkling holy water on Mia.
•He twisted it to drain the excess water.
•How do you pump the water up here?
•I could feel the icy water entering my lungs.
•I saw something large floating in the water.
•Residents are being asked to boil their drinking water.
•She crouched at the water's edge to wash her hands.
•She dried off the excess water from her hair.
•Some fields have areas with standing water.
•That causes the moss to absorb water.
•The boat cut effortlessly through the water.
•The burst pipe was spurting water everywhere.
•The farmers draw their irrigation water from the Colorado.
•The flood water had caused tremendous damage.
•The ship had drifted into uncharted waters.
•The submarine had strayed into Russian waters.
•The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.
•The swan landed gracefully on the water.
•The water is now receding after the floods.
•The water was rising fast.
•There was water dripping from a hole in the ceiling.
•These fish will quickly die in salt water.
•They climbed a tree to escape the rising water.
•They turned the water off for a few hours to do some work on the pipes.
•Water got into the boat and was sloshing around under our feet.
•a water-resistant watch
•a woman fetching water
•areas which are dependent on ground water
•household water heaters
•inland navigable waters
•large expanses of open water
•the ballast water of ocean-going freighters
•the calm waters of Lake Como
•the fast-flowing water of the river
•the freezing waters of the Irish Sea
•the icy waters of the North Atlantic
•the purest well water
•the region's most important fresh water source
•the shark-infested waters off the coast of Florida
•water-repellent leather
•Leaves floated on the water.
•We walked down to the water's edge.
Idioms: ↑by water ▪ ↑it's water under the bridge ▪ ↑like water ▪ ↑not hold water ▪ ↑somebody's waters break ▪ ↑water off a duck's back
Derived: ↑water something down
verb
1. transitive ~ sth to pour water on plants, etc
•to water the plants/garden
2. intransitive (of the eyes)to become full of tears
•The smoke made my eyes water.
3. intransitive (of the mouth)to produce ↑saliva
•The smells from the kitchen made our mouths water.
4. transitive ~ sth to give water to an animal to drink
•to water the horses
• (humorous)After a tour of the grounds, the guests were fed and watered.
5. transitive, usually passive ~ sth (technical) (of a river, etc.)to provide an area of land with water
•The valley is watered by a stream.
6. transitive ~ sth to add water to an alcoholic drink
•watered wine
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Old English wæter (noun), wæterian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch water, German Wasser, from an Indo-European root shared by Russian voda (compare with ↑vodka), also by Latin unda ‘wave’ and Greek hudōr ‘water’.
Example Bank:
•Keep the area well watered.
•Once we were fed and watered, she showed us up to our rooms.
•The proposals got somewhat watered down at committee stage.
•The roses need watering.
•The smell of the meat made her mouth water.
•Water your houseplants well before you go on holiday.
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