[f. EYE sb. + WATER sb.] a. Water, i.e., either natural tears, or an abnormal overflow (stillicidium), ‘tear in the eye,’ flowing from the eye. Rare in pl. b. A lotion for the eye. c. The humours (aqueous or vitreous) of the eye. d. Slang. = Gin.
a. 1590. Southwell, M. Magd. Fun. Teares, 125. What anger so fiery that may not be quenched with eye-water, sith a weeping supplyant rebateth the edge of more than a lyon’s fury.
1845. G. Murray, Islaford, 169.
| Serves it no better purpose than to roll | |
| Sorrow’s eye-waters from their dark abode? |
1849. Thackeray, Lett., 50. I can hardly see as I write for the eye-water, but it isn’t with grief.
b. 1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 106. All sorts of Eye-waters, such as that of Elder well.
1747. Wesley, Prim. Physick (1762), 61. An excellent Eye Water.
1818. S. F. Gray, Supp. to Pharmacopœias, 237. Common eye water. Ibid., 235. Blue eye water.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Ser. I. vii. (1876), 190. Love is not a hood, but an eye-water.
c. 1874. Coues, Field Ornith., I. vii. (1890), 57. Eye-water … is often a great annoyance [in taxidermy].
d. 1869. Whyte-Melville, M. or N., I. vi. 118. Two bob an’ a bender, and a three of eye-water, in?
1886. Judy, 4 Aug., 58. Jiggered gin, dog’s nose and Paddy’s eye-water.
