Waterish

a. [f. WATER sb. + -ISH¹. (Sweet gives an OE. wæterisc, of which no example seems to be known.)]

  † 1.  Composed of water; of the nature of water, aqueous. Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 302. Eaueux, wateryshe or watry.

1577.  Grange, Golden Aphrod., etc., S j b. In time the watrishe droppes, we see doth perce the stone.

  2.  Resembling water in appearance or sensible properties.

1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 37. The shoomaker liquoreth his leather with waterish liquor.

1612.  Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 82. Pellitory roots … chewed, bring forth much waterish flegme.

1622.  Banister, Treat. Eyes, I. iv. A 8. Concerning the humours whereof the eye is made: the first called aqueus, that is, the waterish humor.

a. 1722.  Lisle, Husb. (1757), 299. The waterish part of the cream comes away first.

1748.  trans. Vegetius Renatus’ Distemper Horses, 70. The Humour will be thin, waterish and cold.

  † b.  As a designation of color: Light grey, pale blue. Also waterish-blue. Obs.

1556.  Withals, Dict. (1562), 36 b/1. Watrish colour, aquileus.

1576.  Newton, Lemnie’s Complex., II. ii. 100. Some [flowers] of a sadde or darke greene, some watrishe, blunkette, gray.

a. 1608.  Dee, Relat. Spir., I. (1659), 355. The waters of the Triangles, are somewhat like a watrish blew.

1631.  Widdowes, Nat. Philos., 27. The Hiacinth is of waterish colour.

1684.  J. S., Profit & Pleas. United, 167. To take the Fish, the pale waterish coloured haire is the best to deceive them if the stream be clear.

  † 3.  Native to or inhabiting the water, aquatic.

1579.  G. Harvey, Letter.-bk. (Camden), 84. There be innumerable legions of waterishe and earthlye sprytes.

1617.  Moryson, Itin., II. 46. Waterish foule, plentie of fish, and generally all meates with the common sort alwaies vnsalted…, doe most preiudice the health.

1717.  Parnell, Battle Frogs & Mice, i. 75. But me, nor Stalks, nor watrish Herbs delight.

  † 4.  Relating to or concerned with water. Obs.

1635.  Swan, Spec. M. (1670), 70. In the Earthy dry Signs, they produce barrenness, by reason of drought; in Waterish Signs barrenness also, by reason of too much wet.

  5.  Containing excess of water. Of liquids: Dilute, thin, poor. Of solids: Loose in texture, not firm or compact.

1542.  Boorde, Dyetary, xxi. (1870), 284. Peares … doth increase fatnes, ingenderyng waterysshe blod.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. 146. Ail milke that is milked in springtime, is watrisher then the milke of sommer.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 15. Or feede vpon such nice and waterish diet.

1650.  Norgate, Miniatura (1919), 22. Remember … that the Carnation in your great pencill be rather thin and waterish than too thick and clamy.

1665–6.  Phil. Trans., I. 35. It was of a loose watrish contexture.

1675.  J. Love, Clavis Med., 25. Small beer is waterish.

a. 1722.  Lisle, Husb. (1757), 128. The kirnels [of the nuts] … become waterish, and in a manner tasteless.

1745.  Eliza Heywood, Female Spect., XVII. (1748), III. 258. What fruits the orchards yielded were tasteless, waterish, and insipid.

1865.  Swinburne, Poems & Ballads, Anactoria, 38. Moist with waterish wine.

1879.  J. Todhunter, Alcestis, 116. My blood Is waterish all with tears, and leaves me weak.

  b.  fig.

1549.  Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Rom. v. 1–5. In steade of the watryshe letter of the lawe gyuen vnto vs as a gage.

c. 1555.  Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 96. It is but a waterish cold argument to say there be so many … forbidd.

1614.  D. Dyke, Myst. Self-Deceiv., 302. The memory [is] slippery and waterish to receiue and retaine any good impressions.

1644.  Milton, Divorce, To Parlt. (ed. 2), A 3. Out of a waterish and queasy conscience.

1823.  New Monthly Mag., IX. 206/1. The waterish comedy of the ‘Belle’s Stratagem.’

  c.  Of a taste: Characteristic of what contains excess of water.

1587.  Turberv., Trag. T., Epit., etc., 187 b. Of watrish taste the flesh, not firme like English biefe.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, XV. xxviii. I. 449. Plums have a waterish tast.

1653.  Walton, Angler, ii. 58. It takes away the watrish taste which the Chub or Chevin has.

  † 6.  Having a predominance of water in the constitution. Also, of disease, characterized by accumulation of water in some part of the body. Obs.

1591.  Savile, Tacitus, Hist., II. xxxii. 72. The Germans … hauing foggy and waterish bodies.

1639.  G. Plattes, Discov. Infin. Treas., x. 69. Some few Sheepe of the most waterish, and flegmaticke constitution, may be caught with this disease.

1634.  T. Johnson, trans. A. Paré’s Chirurg. Wks., VII. xviii. 270. Of the cure of a flatulent and waterish Tumor.

1660.  Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., II. (1682), 18. A hot Fever, a watrish Dropsie, a pining Hectic.

1661.  Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 117. Their Lungs are very phlegmatick and waterish.

  † 7.  Of eyes: Somewhat watery, disposed to run.

1561.  B. Googe, trans. Palingenius’ Zodiac, VI. Q v. For many … on the sonne do alwaies loke with watrish winking eies.

  Comb.  1702.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3789/4. A very little Man,… somewhat thick Lipp’d, watrish Eyed.

  8.  Of weather, air, mist: Charged with water, watery.

1650.  Venner, Via Recta (ed. 4), 281. This moneth [February] is commonly very raw and waterish.

1669.  Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 295. If small watrish Clouds appear on the tops of hills, Rain follows.

1670.  Milton, Hist. Eng., V. 235. In that Fenny and watrish air.

1849.  C. Brontë, Shirley, xxi. A dim but not chill or waterish haze slept blue on the hills.

1864.  Swinburne, Atalanta, 1292. The waterish air Hissed.

  9.  Of light or of luminous bodies: Dimmed by watery vapor.

1607.  Middleton, Michaelmas Term, IV. iii. 45. Like a hanging moon a little waterish awhile.

1769.  Phil. Trans., LIX. 314. The disturbance on the Sun’s limb [was] so undulatory, pointed, ill-defined, waterish.

1797.  Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), II. 439/1. A very narrow waterish penumbra appeared round Venus.

1845.  Talfourd, Vac. Rambles, I. 196. The second walk, agreably perplexed by the waterish moonlight.

  † 10.  Of ground: Damp, wet. Obs.

1562.  Turner, Herbal, II. 7. Gentian … growethe … in shadowe and waterishe places.

1665–6.  Phil. Trans., I. 328. Rice prospers most in waterish grounds.

  † 11.  Juicy, succulent. Obs.

1591.  A. W., Bk. Cookrye, 32 b. Take … v. or vj. well watrishe Apples, pare them [etc.].

1648.  Gage, West Ind., 87. Excellent fruits,… so waterish that they even melt like snow in the mouth.

  Hence Waterishly adv.; Waterishness.

1532.  Hervet, Xenoph. Househ., 50. He also muste … turne vp so downe and styrre the grounde, that the soorenes and the rawe watrisshenes of hit may be warmed and well dryed vp.

1571.  Golding, Calvin on Ps. lxiii. 4. 238. More coldly and watrishly do others expound it.

a. 1603.  T. Cartwright, Confut. Rhem. N. T. (1618), 244. The weaknes and watrishnes of your argument.

1659.  H. More, Immort. Soul, II. xi. 231. Overmuch Coolness, or Waterishness in the Head.

1872.  Miss Braddon, Rob. Ainsleigh, iii. You and my late master’s nephew are like as—I’ll not say two drops of water, for there is little waterishness in your dispositions.