1555
watery
US, and made them less willing to trust their political leaders.
Because of these events, other political scandals are often
given a name ending in '-gate', for example IRANGATE.
wa·ter·hole /'wɔ:təhəʊl||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n a small area of
water in dry country, where wild animals go to drink
water ice especially BrE || sorbet AmE— n [C;U] a frozen sweet
made of fruit juice or water with colour and taste added
watering can also 'watering pot AmE — n a container
from which water can be poured through a long SPOUT onto
garden plants
watering hole n 1 a waterhole 2 humor a place where
people go regularly to drink alcohol
watering place n 1 BrE a SPA 2 a waterhole
water jump n a stretch of water across which runners or
horses must jump as part of a race or competition, especially
in a STEEPLECHASE or SHOW JUMPING
water level n the height to which a mass of water has risen
or sunk
water lily n a plant which grows in water, with large white,
yellow, or pink flowers and flat leaves, often seen floating on
the surface of a pool in gardens
wa·ter·line /'wɔ:təlaɪn||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n [the+S] tech the
position which the water reaches along the side of a ship
wa·ter·logged /'wɔ:təlɒgd||'wɔ:tərlɔ:gd, 'wɑ:-, -lɑ:gd/ adj
so full of water as to be heavy, unusable, or unable to float:
The football pitch was waterlogged so the match had to be
cancelled.
Wa·ter·loo /ˌwɔ:tə'lu: || ˌwɔ:tər-, ˌwɑ:-/ 1 the Battle of
Waterloo an important battle fought in 1815 near Brussels,
Belgium, in which the Duke of WELLINGTON, leading the
British and the Prussians, defeated NAPOLEON and the French.
It was Napoleon's final defeat, and he never regained power
after this. 2 one of the main railway stations in London,
just south of the River Thames. Trains from Waterloo go to
the south and southwest of England. 3 meet your Water-
loo to be finally defeated after a long period of success:
Despite widespread unpopularity, the party did not meet its
Waterloo until the election of 1997.
water main n a large underground pipe carrying a public
supply of water
Wa·ter·man, Pete /'wɔ:təmən||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-, pi:t/
(1947–) a British record producer whose company produced
many successful pop records during the 1980s for singers
such as Kylie Minogue. In the 2000s he was one of the
judges on the television programme Pop Idol.
wa·ter·mark /'wɔ:təmɑ:k||'wɔ:tərmɑ:rk, 'wɑ:-/ n 1 a
mark made on paper by the maker, seen only when it is held
up to the light: The watermark on/in the banknote is to
prevent forgery. 2 a mark showing the stated level reached
by a river or the sea: This is the river's high/low
watermark. || (fig.) The ancient culture had reached its high
watermark. (=period of greatest success)
water meadow n a field, usually near a river, which is
often flooded
wa·ter·mel·on /'wɔ:təmelən||'w:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n [C;U] a
large round fruit with green skin, juicy red flesh, and black
seeds
wa·ter·mill /'wɔ:təˌmɪl||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n a MILL that is
driven by moving water, especially in a river
water moccasin n a poisonous N American snake which
lives in water
water pipe n a HOOKAH
water pistol also squirt gun n a toy gun which shoots
water
water polo n [U] a game played by two teams of swimmers
with a ball
wa·ter·pow·er /'wɔ:təˌpaʊə||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n [U] the
power from moving water which can be used to produce
electricity or to work machines; HYDROELECTRIC power
wa·ter·proof¹ /'wɔ:təpru:f||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ adj not allow-
ing water, especially rain, to go through —waterproof n BrE
waterproofs for hillwalking (=waterproof coats)
waterproof² v [T] to make waterproof, e.g. by putting
rubber onto a material
'water rat also water vole n a small animal which lives in
holes near a river and can swim
'water rate n (in Britain) the charge made to each house-
owner by the organization that supplies the public with
water
'water rights n [P] the legal right to make use of water from
a particular river, stream, lake etc
wa·ters /'wɔ:təz||'wɔ:tərz, 'wɑ:-/ n, [P] 1 sea near or
belonging to the stated country: fishing in Icelandic
waters 2 the water of the stated river, lake etc: This is where
the waters of the Amazon flow out into the sea. 3 water
containing minerals supposed to be good for the health,
which comes up out of the ground from a spring and is
drunk at a particular place: He's taking (=drinking) the
waters at Bath. 4 still waters run deep saying a person who
is quiet and says little often hides deep feelings or a lot of
knowledge of a subject
Waters, Muddy (1915–83) a US BLUES singer, songwriter, and
GUITAR player, who greatly influenced many other singers of
popular music
wa·ter·shed /'wɔ:təʃed||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n 1 the high land
separating two river systems, from which each has its origin
in many little streams 2 a time or event that marks a very
important change, e.g. in a person's life or in a country's
history: Napoleon's retreat from Moscow was a watershed in
his career/in European history.
wa·ter·side /'wɔ:təsaɪd||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n [the+S] the edge
of a river, lake etc: waterside restaurants
'water skiing n [U] a sport in which one travels over water
on SKIS pulled by a boat —water ski v [I] —er n
'water softener n a machine or chemical used for taking
certain unwanted minerals, especially chalk, out of water
'water-soluble adj that can be dissolved (DISSOLVE) in water
'water sports n [plural] sports played on or in water
wa·ter·spout /'wɔ:təspaʊt||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n a wind con-
dition (TORNADO) over the sea which carries water in a tall
pipe-shaped turning mass → see STORM (USAGE)
Wa·ter·stone's /'wɔ:təstəʊnz||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ trademark a
chain of large stores that sells books. Waterstone's shops
usually have a comfortable area where customers can sit and
look at books, have coffee etc. It is owned by the HMV
Media Group.
'water sup,ply n the flow of water provided for a building
or area, and the system of lakes, pipes etc, that provides it:
They turned off the water supply before installing the new
heating system.
'water table n the level at and below which water can be
found in the ground
wa·ter·tight /'wɔ:tətaɪt||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ adj 1 through
which no water can pass: a watertight box 2 produced with
great care, so that there is no possibility of doubt, mistakes,
or unintended results: a watertight argument/plan/contract
'water tower n a large container raised up in the air into
which water is pumped, producing a steady pressure in
order to supply water to buildings nearby
'water vapour n [U] water in the form of gas in the air
'water vole n a WATER RAT
wa·ter·way /'wɔ:təweɪ||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n a stretch of
water, e.g. part of a river, which ships or boats can move on:
Canals and rivers form the inland waterways of a country.
wa·ter·wheel /'wɔ:təwi:l||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n a wheel which
is turned by moving water, especially to give power to
machines
wa·ter·wings /'wɔ:təˌwɪŋz||'wɔ:tər-, 'wɑ:-/ n [P] a joined
pair of winglike plastic or rubber bags filled with air, worn
under the arms to support a swimmer, especially a child
learning to swim
wa·ter·works /'wɔ:təwɜ:ks||'wɔ:tərwɜ:rks, 'wɑ:-/ n
[P] 1 buildings, pipes, and supplies of water forming a
public water system 2 BrE euph or humor the body's system and
organs for removing URINE from the body: I've been having a
bit of trouble with the waterworks, doctor. 3 [infrml] derog
crying: Whenever she doesn't get what she wants, she turns
on the waterworks. (=starts to cry)
wa·ter·y /'wɔ:tərɪl||'wɔ:-, 'wɑ:-/ adj 1 derog containing too