▸ water down
1 PHRASAL VERB If you water down a substance, for example food or drink, you add water to it to make it weaker. □ [V P n] He was careful to check that his suppliers were not watering down the product. □ [V n P ] I bought a water-based paint, then decided to water it down even more.
2 VERB If something such as a proposal, speech, or statement is watered down , it is made much weaker and less forceful, or less likely to make people angry. □ [be V -ed P ] Proposed legislation affecting bird-keepers has been watered down.
3 → see also watered-down
water|bed /wɔː tə r bed/ (waterbeds ) also water bed N‑COUNT A waterbed is a bed which consists of a plastic case filled with water.
wa |ter bird (water birds ) N‑COUNT A water bird is a bird that swims or walks in water, especially lakes and rivers. There are many kinds of water bird.
wa ter-borne also waterborne
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A water-borne disease or infection is one that people can catch from infected water.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Something that is water-borne travels or is transported on water. □ …a waterborne safari down the Nile. □ Environmental pressures are strengthening the case for waterborne freight.
wa |ter bot|tle (water bottles )
1 N‑COUNT A water bottle is a small container for carrying water to drink on a long journey.
2 → see also hot-water bottle
wa |ter buf|fa|lo (water buffaloes or water buffalo ) N‑COUNT A water buffalo is an animal like a large cow with long horns that curve upwards. In some countries water buffalo are kept for their milk and are used to draw ploughs.
wa |ter butt (water butts ) N‑COUNT A water butt is a large barrel for collecting rain as it flows off a roof. [BRIT ] in AM, use rain barrel
wa |ter can|non (water cannons or water cannon ) N‑COUNT A water cannon is a machine which shoots out a large, powerful stream of water. It is used by police to break up crowds of people who are protesting or fighting.
wa |ter chest|nut (water chestnuts ) N‑COUNT A water chestnut is the thick bottom part of the stem of a plant which grows in China. It is used in Chinese cookery.
water|colour /wɔː tə r kʌlə r / (watercolours ) in AM, use watercolor 1 N‑VAR Watercolours are coloured paints, used for painting pictures, which you apply with a wet brush or dissolve in water first. □ …a collection of rich paintings in watercolour, acrylic and oil.
2 N‑COUNT A watercolour is a picture which has been painted with watercolours. □ …a lovely watercolour by J. M. W. Turner.
wa |ter cool|er (water coolers )
1 N‑COUNT A water cooler is a machine that dispenses drinking water, especially in an office. [mainly AM ]
2 N‑SING Water cooler is used in expressions that refer to the informal conversations that people have in their office or workplace. □ Three out of four Americans watched Roots, and then the next day could talk about race relations at the water cooler.
water|course /wɔː tə r kɔː r s/ (watercourses ) also water course N‑COUNT A watercourse is a stream or river, or the channel that it flows along. [FORMAL ]
water|cress /wɔː tə r kres/ N‑UNCOUNT Watercress is a small plant with white flowers which grows in streams and pools. Its leaves taste hot and are eaten raw in salads.
wa tered-do wn also watered down
1 ADJ If you describe something such as a proposal, speech, or statement as watered-down , you mean that it is weaker or less forceful than its original form. □ The British government introduced a watered-down version of the proposals.
2 → see also water down
water|fall /wɔː tə r fɔːl/ (waterfalls ) N‑COUNT A waterfall is a place where water flows over the edge of a steep, high cliff in hills or mountains, and falls into a pool below. □ …Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall.
wa |ter fea|ture (water features ) N‑COUNT A water feature is something such as an artificial pond or waterfall, usually in a garden.
water|fowl /wɔː tə r faʊl/ (waterfowl ) N‑COUNT Waterfowl are birds that swim in water, especially ducks, geese, and swans.
water|front /wɔː tə r frʌnt/ (waterfronts ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A waterfront is a street or piece of land which is next to an area of water, for example a harbour or the sea. □ They went for a stroll along the waterfront.
wa |ter hole (water holes ) also waterhole N‑COUNT In a desert or other dry area, a water hole is a pool of water where animals can drink.
wa |ter|ing can (watering cans ) N‑COUNT A watering can is a container with a long spout which is used to water plants.
wa |ter|ing hole (watering holes ) N‑COUNT You can refer to a pub or bar where people go to drink and meet their friends as a watering hole . □ I was in my favorite watering hole, waiting for the game to start.
wa |ter jump (water jumps ) N‑COUNT A water jump is a fence with a pool of water on the far side of it, which people or horses jump over as part of a race or competition.
wa |ter lily (water lilies ) also waterlily N‑COUNT A water lily is a plant with large flat leaves and colourful flowers which floats on the surface of lakes and rivers.
water|line /wɔː tə r la I n/ (waterlines ) also water line N‑COUNT [usu sing] The waterline is a line, either real or imaginary, on the side of a ship representing the level the water reaches when the ship is at sea. □ Ray painted below the waterline with a special anti-rust paint.