1650. Weldon, Court of King James (1817), 19. All the water runs to their mills [applied to the Howards, who got everything at Court].
d. 1663. Bramhall, Works, ii. 366. That the reader may see clearly where the water sticks between us.
1698. Farquhar, Love and a Bottle, v. 1. O, my little green gooseberry; my teeth waters at thee.
1742-4. North, Lord Guildford, i. 295. They caressed his lordship very much as a new comer, whom they were glad of the honour to meet, and talked about a time to dine with him; all which (as they say) was water in his shoes.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 104. You have made my mouth water to serve such a worshipful fraternity. Ibid., 254. The brilliants . . . made her eyes sparkle and her mouth water.
1846. Punch's Almanack, 29 Nov. The Times first printed by steam, 1814, and has kept the country in hot water ever since.
1864. Mark Lemon, Jest Book, 238. Show me the blade that is not out of temper when plunged into hot water.
18[?]. W. S. Gilbert, Etiquette. For the thought of Peter's oysters brought the water to his mouth.
d. 1884. C. Reade (Dixon). One comfort, folk are beginning to take an interest in us. I see nobs of the first water looking with a fatherly eye into our affairs.
1885. Field, 3 Oct. A number of struggling men, who have managed to keep above water during the bad seasons, must now go under.
1886. Ward [Ency. Brit., xx. 57]. The dog's mouth waters only at the sight of food, but the gourmand's mouth will also water at the thought of it.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 76. I should just make a hole in the water, if 'tworn't for the wife and the kids.
Water-bewitched, subs. phr.
(common).—Weak lap (q.v.) of
any kind: spec. (modern) tea
very much watered down, but
orig. (Ray, 1672) very thin beer:
also water-damaged: cf. Husband's-tea.
1709-10. Swift, Pol. Conv., i. Your ladyship is very sparing of your tea; I protest the last dish I took was no more than water bewitcht.
1725. Bailey, Erasmus, 376. As for the broth, it was nothing but a little water bewitched (mera aqua).
1835. Dana, Before the Mast, 10 Nov. A tin pot full of hot tea (or as the sailors significantly call it, 'water bewitched') sweetened with molasses. Ibid. Our common beverage—'water bewitched, and tea begrudged,' as it was.
1845. Carlyle, Cromwell, i. 13. Another book of Noble's called Lives of the Regicides . . . is of much more stupid character; nearly meaningless indeed, mere water bewitched.
Water-butt (or -barrel), subs.
phr. (common).—The stomach:
spec. a corporation (q.v.).
Water-can, subs. phr. (colloquial).—In
saying 'Jupiter Pluvius has
got out (or put on) his water-can'
= It is raining: spec. of a
heavy shower.
Water-colour. See Wife in
Water-colours.
Water-doctor, subs. phr. (colloquial).—1.
A hydropathist. Also
(2) a water-caster (q.v.),
Water, verb 2).
Water-dog, subs. phr. (common).—1.
A sailor: spec. an old salt
(q.v.). Also (2) anyone completely
'at home' in, or on, the
water.
1835. Dana, Before the Mast, 94. The Sandwich Islanders are complete water-dogs, and therefore very good in boating.
3. (common).—A Norfolk dumpling.
