water 
socially, or otherwise. The expression first water, when 
applied to a diamond, denotes that it is free from all 
traces of color, blemish, tiaw, or other imperfection, and 
tliat its brilliancy is perfect Often nsed attributively. 
One eonifort, folk are beginning to take an interest in 
Hs. I see nobs of the ^rs( ira^er looking? with a fatherly 
eye into our atfairs. C. lieade. {Dixon.) 
Franz-Josef water, a bitter water, containing a small 
proi>ortion of iron, obtained at Fiii-ed, Hungary. It is 
used as a cathartic, and also in the treatment of chronic 
rheumatism and catarrhal conditions of the respiratory 
and alimentary tracts.— Friedriclisliall water, a " bitter 
water" from the village of tliis name In (ierniany. It is 
strongly aperient, containing a large proportion of sul- 
phates and chlorids of mJ^;nesium and sodium. It is used 
as a cathartic and also in diseases of the heart and kidneys 
and in chronic bronchitis.— Frightened water. See 
/n^A/g/k— Glesshubler water, an agreeable sparkling 
alkaline water from Giesshiibl-Puchstein, near Carlsbad in 
Bohemia : used as a table-water, and also in cases of uric- 
acid diathesis and of dyspeptic and other troubles referred 
thereto.— Goulard water, an aqueous solution contain- 
ing about 2.S per cent, of lead subacetate ; the liquorplunibi 
subacetatis of the United States Pharmacopceia, used as a 
lotion in inflammation. — Ground Water, surface moist- 
ure, or the water retained by the porous surface-soil. 
Ground water flows in accordance with the common law of 
hydrostatics, but its motion is impeded by friction. Com- 
pare yroMJid air, under a (Vl. — Hard Water. See def. 1. — 
Harrogate waters, chalybeate and sulphur waters from 
the watering-place of this name in Yorkshire, England. 
They are aperient, and are used chiefly in the treatment 
of skin-diseases and of morbid conditions of the intestinal 
canal. — High water, the greatest elevation of the water 
at flood-tide ; also, the time when such highest point in 
the flow is reached. 
Gaffer was away in his boat ; . . . he was not, according 
to his usual habits at night, to be counted on before next 
high water. IHckenSy Our Mutual Friend, L 13. 
High-water mark, the mark or limit of water at high 
tide; hence, flguratively, the highest limit attained or at- 
tainable : as, the high-water mark of prosperity. Some- 
times erroneously written high water-mark. 
His [Wordsworth's] "Ode on Immortality" is the high* 
water jnark which the intellect has reached in this age. 
Emerson, English I'raits. 
High-water shrub, a shrubby composite plant, Ica/ru- 
tescens, a native of the United States along the sea-coast 
from Massachusetts to Texas. Also called marsh-elder. 
— Holy water, water used for ritual puriflcation of per- 
sons and things ; especially, water blessed by a Christian 
priest, and used to sprinkle upon persons or things, or to 
sign one's self with at entering church. Holy or lustral 
water has been used in almost all religions in purification 
of persons and things, especially in preparation for wor- 
ship, and also to drive away the powers of evil. Under 
the ancient Jewish law, the jiriests bathed their hands and 
feet in a laver before entering the tabernacle or approach- 
ing the altar (Ex. xxx. 17-21, xl. ;i0-32), and the "water of 
purification" (Num. viii. 7, xix. 9, etc.) presents another 
analojry to Christian usage. The use of holy water in the 
Christian church is very ancient. In the Roman Catholic 
Church holy water is prepared every Sunday by exorcism 
and benediction of salt, and exorcism and benediction of 
the water, after which the salt is cast in the water, and 
both again blessed together. In the Greek Church the 
use of a holy-water stoup (colyml)ion) at the entrance of 
a church is almost obsolete. Holy water is nsed in the 
houses, and is blessed on the first of the month in the 
phiale, ami at the Epiphany there is a general Idessing of 
water. See cut under stoup'^, 3.-- Holy- water Clerk, 
sprinkler, stick. See hobf. — Homburg water, a cha- 
lybeate saline water from springs in Hom])urg near the 
Khine: used in the treatment of dyspepsia and disor- 
ders of the liver, especially those that have been brought 
on by high living.— Hot Springs waters, calcic sulphur 
waters from a number of thermal springs in Hot Springs. 
Arkansas. They are largely employed in tlie treatment (.if 
syphili-s, rheiimati.sm, and chronic diseases of the skin and 
mucous membranes.— House Of water. See hotisd.— 
Hungary water, a jueparation of spirits of rosemary, 
used, especially during the eighteenth century, Jis a lotion, 
a perfume, or an internal remedy. The name is said to 
have been given to it in allusion to a queen of Hungary 
who tested the efficacy of the water in bathing. 
All these Ingredients raention'd are to be had at the 
AiK)the<:aries, except the Queen of Hungaries Water, which 
is sold by Mich. John.soii, Bookseller iii Leichfieid. 
The Haijpy Sinner (1091), <iuoted in N. and Q., 7th ser., 
[X. 115. 
Hunyadl Jdnos water, a cathartic water, containing a 
large percentage of sodium and m:igiiesium sidphates, ob- 
tained from Budajiestin Hungary.— Interdiction Of fire 
and water, see iiUeifi ict ion.— Jsick in the water. See 
jacArl.— Javelle's water, see eau de Jauclle, under eaii. 
— Kissingen water, a mildly laxative water olitained 
from several springs in the town of this name in Bavaria. 
It is used in affections of the liver and alimentary canal, 
chronic lirotichitis, and other catarrlial conditions.— La 
BourbOUle water, an arsenical water from LaBoui-boule, 
in Puy-dc-D6me, France. It is used in the treatment of 
various skin-di.seases and in chronic malarial troubles. — 
Lebanon Springs water, a mineral water, containing 
chiefly carbonates and sulphates, obtained from Lebanon 
Springs, New y(»rk. It is used principally in the treat- 
ment of diseases uf the digestive an*! urinary tracts. — 
Like water, witli the ready or abundant flow" of water; 
hence, overllowingly; abundantly; freely: as, to spend 
money like water. 
They came round about me daily i/A-e water ; theycom- 
jiassed me about together. Ps. Ixxxviii. 17. 
Lock Of water. See lock^. — Low water, low tide. 
Set not her Tongue 
A going agen ; 
Sh' as made more Noise than half a dozen Pai)er-mills ; 
London-Bridge at a low Water is Silence to her. 
Etherege, Love in a Tub, i. 
6838 
Low-water alarm. See aiarm,- Low-water indica- 
tor. See ntdit-ato/-.- Low- water mark, the mark or 
limit of water at low tide ; in a figurative sense, the low- 
est or a very low point or degree. Sometimes erroneously 
written low ivater-inark. 
I'm at loic tmter-mark myself — only one bob and a mag- 
pie ; but, as far as it goes, I'll fork out and stump. 
Dickens, Oliver Twist. 
Low-water slack, the time of slack water at the lowest 
stage of the tide, when the ebb has done and the flood has 
not yet made.— Marienbad water, a mineral water from 
the spa of this name in Boliemia, not far from Carlsbad. 
The water is used largely in gout, hemorrhoids, obesity, 
and liver troubles occurring as a result of high living, and 
also for chronic bronchitis, neuralgia, and cystitis. — Me- 
teoric waters, mineral waters, north water. See the 
adjectives.— Oil on troubled waters, figuratively, any- 
thing done or used to mollify, assuage, or allay : from the 
smoothing etfectof the pouring of oil upon breaJcing waves, 
a common resource of modern seamen. The efficacy of 
oil for such use was known to the ancient Greeks and ito- 
mans(se6 "Notes and Queries," 6th ser., III. 252), and the 
literal i>ractice no doubt preceded the figurative saying. — 
Orange-flower watert. Same as orange-water. — Oxy- 
genated water. SeeoicyyeTiafe.— Persicot-Water. See 
jjcrsicot.—'Pilot'B water. See pilot— Volsmd Spring 
water, a water, very weak in mineral constituents, ob- 
tained from South Poland, Maine. It is employed chiefly 
as a table-water and as a diuretic in the treatment of 
chronic disorders of the urinary tract.— Potash- water. 
See potash.— 'puXiUc, quick, quicksilver water. See 
the qualifying words.— Red water, bloody urine ; hema- 
turia.— Richfield Springs water, a sulphur water from 
the village of the same name in New York State, used 
largely in the treatment of rheumatism, skin-diseases, and 
chronic catarrhal affections of the respiratory tract.— 
Rockbridge Alum Springs water, a tonic water, with 
astringent taste, obtained in the place of the same name 
ill Virginia. It is employed in tlie treatment of skin-dis- 
eases and catarrhal disorders of the digestive and urinary 
tracts.— Rosemary water. Same as Hungary water.— 
Bubinat-Condal water, an aperient water, contain- 
ing chiefly sodium sulphate, obtained from a spring in the 
Spanish Pyrenees.— Saratoga waters, various mineral 
waters, some possessing tonic and others cathartic prop- 
erties, obtained from Saratoga Springs, New York. They 
are used in the treatment of certain chronic akin -diseases, 
constipation, indigestion, and liver disorders, and in ca- 
tarrhal conditions of the urinary and digestive tracts. 
Among the best-known of the springs are the Congress, 
Hathorn, High Rock, Geyser, Pavilion, Seltzer, and Vichy. 
—Sedative water. See stdaiiwc- Selters water, a 
highly jirized medicinal mineral waterfound atNicder-Sel- 
ters, a village in the province of Hesse-Nassau in Prussia, 
It con tains a considerable quantity of sodium chlorid (com- 
mon salt), and nmch smaller quantities of sodium, cal- 
cium, and magnesium carbonates. Also called Seltzer 
?ca(er.— Sharon Springs water, a sulphiu- water from 
Sharon Springs, New York. It is largely used in the 
treatment of diseases of the skin, chnmic catarrhal con- 
ditions of the respiratory and digestive tract, gout, and 
rheumatism.— Slllclous, slack, strong water. See the 
adjectives.— Soden Water, saline chalybeate water from 
Soden in Hesse-Nassau, Prussia. It is used chiefly in the 
treatment of clironic catarrhal affections of the respiratory 
tract and in the early stages of pulmonary consumption. 
—Soft water. See def. 1.— Sweet water, (a) Fresh 
as opposed to salt water. See s^vect, a., 8. {h) Glycerin. 
Worki^hop Receipts, 2d ser., p. 310. — Thermal waters, 
hot springs. — To be In hot water. See hot 1 . — To break 
water, (a) To appear upon the surface of the water to 
blow, as a whale making its lising. {b) To float to the sur- 
face, as any suTiken object. — To cast Oil on troubled 
waters. See oil on troubled waters, above. — To cast (a 
person's) water. See cast^.—To cast water Into the 
Thames, to i)erfonn unnecessary or useless labor (possi- 
bly involvhig a play on the word Thames, suggesting te/n^c, 
a sieve). 
It is to give him ((pioth I) as much almes or neede 
As cast water in Terns, or as good a deede 
As it is to helpe a dogge over a stile. 
J. lleywood. Proverbs (ed. Sharman), p. 69. 
Tohold water. See AoWi.— To make foul water. See 
/fmO.- To make water. See ^/m^d.— Topourwater 
on the hands. See hand.— to take water, {a) To al- 
low one's boat to fall into the wake of another boat, as in 
a race. Hence — (6) To weaken in a contest ; back out or 
back down. [Slang.]— To throw cold water on. See 
cold.— To tread water. See tread.— TrovLbled waters, 
a connnotion ; trouble; discord. See oil on troubled wa- 
ters, above.— Under water, below the surface of tlie wa- 
ter. — ValS water, sparkling alkaline water from Vals 
in southern France. It is used in dyspepsia, urinary dis- 
orders, affections of the livei", obesity, gout^ and diseases 
of the skin.— Vichy water, (a) An alkaline water, con- 
taining minute quantities of iron ami arsenic, obtained 
from numerous theimal springs in Vichy, France, and also 
artificially prepared. It is used in the treatment of chronic 
catarrlial affections of the intestinal and urinary tracts, 
gall-stones, lithemia, gout, and rheumatism, (b) A water 
of somewhat similar composition from the A'ichy Spring 
in Saratoga. See Saratoga waters. — Water bewitched, 
water slightly flavored, as with liquor ; any weak or greatly 
diluted decoction ; figuratively, an insipid, tasteless coni- 
pound. 
Indeed, madam, your ladyship is very sparing of your 
tea ; I protest, the last I took was no more than ivater he- 
ivitch'd. Swift, Polite Conversation, i. 
Water-check valve, in a steam-engine, an automatic 
valve which regulates the water-supply delivered by the 
feed-water pii)e to the boiler. See check-valve. — WoXeT 
cider, ^ee cider.— WaXer damaged. Same as water 
brwitched. Ilalliwell.-'Wa.teT in one'S Shoest, a source 
of discomfort or irritation to one. 
They caressed his lord.ship very much as a new comer, 
whom they were glad of the hoiwuir to meet, and talked 
aiiont atinie to dine with him ; all which (as they say) was 
water in his yhues. 
Roger North, Lord Guilford, i. 295. (Davies.) 
water 
Water-of-Ayr stone. See Ayr stone, under »(<»««.- Wa- 
ter of Cotunnius, a fluid filling the apace between the 
osseous and the membranous labyrinth of the ear; the 
perilymph, technically called liquor Cotunnii. — Water Of 
crystallization. See cry*(a/n'zo(ion.— Water of jeal- 
ousy (literally, ' water of bitterness"), in the ancient Jew- 
ish law, water to be drunk as direct«a in Num. v. 11 - 31 by 
a woman suspected by her husband of unfaithfulness, the 
act of drinking it serving as a test of innocence or guilt. 
—Water of life, (a) A liquid giving life or immortality 
to the drinker ; specifically, in Biblical use, spiritual re- 
freshment, strength, or salvation. 
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of 
the water of life freely. Rev. xxi. 6. 
(b) Whisky, brandy, or other alcoholic liquor: a trans- 
lation of the Irish and Gaelic name of whisky, and of 
the French name of brandy (eau-de-vie). Compare aqua 
vitas. 
The shepherds . . . were collected together (not with- 
out a quench of the moiui tain-dew, or water of life) in a 
large shed, 
J. WUson, Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life, p. 306. 
Water of purification. See holy water.— "WaXer of 
separation (literally, 'water of uncleanness'), in the 
ancient Jewish law, water mixed with the ashes of a red 
heifer burned with cedar-wood, hyssop, and scarlet, used 
to sprinkle upon unclean persons (Num. xix.). — Water On 
the brain. See ^ram.— Water-steam thermometer. 
See thermojneter.-'WaXeT venom-globulin, a poisonous 
principle extracted from serpent-venom. — White Sul- 
phur Springs water, a strong sulphur water from the 
springs of the same name in Greenbrier county, Virginia. 
It is used in the treatment of chronic catarrhal disorders 
of the digestive and urinary systems, constipation, and 
various skin-diseases. — White water, (a) Shoal water 
near the shore ; breakers. (6) The foaming water in rap- 
ids or swiftly flowing shallows. 
The continuous white water of the upper rapids raging 
round the curve of a steep red bank. 
Fortnightly Rev., N. S., XLIIL 631. 
(c) Foam churned up by a whale.— Wiesbaden water, a 
saline water obtained from numerous thermal springs in 
Wiesbaden, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia. It is used in the treat- 
ment of skin-diseases, gout, rheumatism, and neuralgia.— 
Wildungen water, a mineral water, containing carbon- 
ates of calcium and magnesium and a small percentage of 
sulphates, from Jsieder-Wildungen in Waldeck. It is em- 
ployed chiefly in the treatment of diseases of the urinary 
tract. —Yellow Sulphur Springs water, a m ineral water 
from springs of the same name m Virginia. It contains a 
large proportion of lime salts and sulphates, and is cathar- 
tic. (See also barley-water, fire-water, leadvxtter, ric€-wa- 
ter.) 
water (wa't6r), v. [< ME. watereiiy wetereUf 
watrev, wattrcrij wattrenriy wettrien, < AS. wse- 
irian, water, = D. wateren, water, make water, 
= MHG. we::zeri)j G. wassern, irrigate, water 
(ef. Icel. vatfia = Sw. vaitna = Dan. vande, 
water); from the noun.] I, trans, 1. To put- 
water into or upon ; moisten, dilute, sprinkle, 
or soak with water ; specifically, to irrigate. 
All the grounde throughout the lande of Egipt is con- 
tinually watred by the water which vppon ye 25 day of 
August is turned into the cnntries round al>out. 
E. WebbCy Travels (ed. Arber), p. 22. 
Set fnuttrees round, nor e'er indulge thy sloth, 
But u-^ter them, and urge their shady growth. 
Addison, tr. of Virgil's Geoi^cs, iv. 
2. To supply with water for drinking; feed 
with water: said of animals. 
Aft times hae I icaierd my steed 
Wi' the water o' Wearie's well. 
The Water o Weaiie's Well (Child's Ballads, I. 199% 
If the inhabitants of a parish have a customary right of 
watering their cattle at a certain pool, the custom is not 
destroyed though they do not use it for ten years. 
Bla^kstone, Com., L, Int., ilL 
3. To produce by moistening and pressure upon 
{silk, or other fabric) a sort of pattern on which 
there is a changeable play of light. See watered 
silk, under watered. 
These things [silk and cotton goods] are watered, which 
very much adds to their beauty ; they are made also at 
Aleppo, but not in so great perfection. 
Pococke, Description of the East, II. i. 125. 
4. To increase (the nominal capital of a cor- 
poration) by the issue of new shares without 
a coiTesponding increase of actual capital. Jus- 
tification for such a transaction is usually sought by claim- 
ing that the property and franchises have increased in 
value, so that an increase of stock is necessary in or- 
der fairly to represent existing capital [Commercial 
slang.] 
The stock of some of the railways has been icatered to 
an alarming extent by the issue of fictitious capital, exist- 
ing only on paper, though ranking equally for dividend — 
when money for this is forthcoming. Usually, the paper 
stock has been sold to unwary purchasers. 
Fortnightiy Rev., X. S., XLIII. 857. 
To water one's plantst, to shed tears. [Old slang.] 
Neither water thou thy plants, in that thou departest 
froni tliy pigges nie, neither stand in a manimeriug whe- 
ther it bee best to depart or not.. 
Euphues to Philautus, M. 4. {Naves.) 
IL intrans. 1. To give out, emit, discharge, 
or secrete water. 
If they suffer the dusts of bribes to be thrown into their 
sight, their eyes will water and twinkle, and fall at last to 
blind connivance. Rev, T. Adams, Works, I. 147. 
