Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter W - Page 11

Water gauge () An instrument for measuring or ascertaining the depth or quantity of water, or for indicating the height of its surface, as in the boiler of a steam engine. See Gauge.

Water gavel () A gavel or rent paid for a privilege, as of fishing, in some river or water.

Water germander () A labiate plant (Teucrium Scordium) found in marshy places in Europe.

Water gilding () The act, or the process, of gilding metallic surfaces by covering them with a thin coating of amalgam of gold, and then volatilizing the mercury by heat; -- called also wash gilding.

Water glass () See Soluble glass, under Glass.

Water god () A fabulous deity supposed to dwell in, and preside over, some body of water.

Water gruel () A liquid food composed of water and a small portion of meal, or other farinaceous substance, boiled and seasoned.

Water hammer () A vessel partly filled with water, exhausted of air, and hermetically sealed. When reversed or shaken, the water being unimpeded by air, strikes the sides in solid mass with a sound like that of a hammer.

Water hammer () A concussion, or blow, made by water in striking, as against the sides of a pipe or vessel containing it.

Water hare () A small American hare or rabbit (Lepus aquaticus) found on or near the southern coasts of the United States; -- called also water rabbit, and swamp hare.

Water hemlock () A poisonous umbelliferous plant (Cicuta virosa) of Europe; also, any one of several plants of that genus.

Water hemlock () A poisonous plant (/nanthe crocata) resembling the above.

Water hemp () See under Hemp.

Water hen () Any gallinule.

Water hen () The common American coot.

Water hog () The capybara.

Water horehound () Bugleweed.

Waterhorse (n.) A pile of salted fish heaped up to drain.

Water hyacinth () Either of several tropical aquatic plants of the genus Eichhornia, related to the pickerel weed.

Water ice () Water flavored, sweetened, and frozen, to be eaten as a confection.

Waterie (n.) The pied wagtail; -- so called because it frequents ponds.

Water inch () Same as Inch of water, under Water.

Wateriness (n.) The quality or state of being watery; moisture; humidity.

Watering () a. & n. from Water, v.

Waterish (a.) Resembling water; thin; watery.

Waterish (a.) Somewhat watery; moist; as, waterish land.

Waterishness (n.) The quality of being waterish.

Water joint () A joint in a stone pavement where the stones are left slightly higher than elsewhere, the rest of the surface being sunken or dished. The raised surface is intended to prevent the settling of water in the joints.

Water junket () The common sandpiper.

Water-laid (a.) Having a left-hand twist; -- said of cordage; as, a water-laid, or left-hand, rope.

Waterlander (n.) Alt. of Waterlandian

Waterlandian (n.) One of a body of Dutch Anabaptists who separated from the Mennonites in the sixteenth century; -- so called from a district in North Holland denominated Waterland.

Water laverock () The common sandpiper.

Waterleaf (n.) Any plant of the American genus Hydrophyllum, herbs having white or pale blue bell-shaped flowers.

Water leg () See Leg, 7.

Water lemon () The edible fruit of two species of passion flower (Passiflora laurifolia, and P. maliformis); -- so called in the West Indies.

Waterless (a.) Destitute of water; dry.

Water lettuce () A plant (Pistia stratiotes) which floats on tropical waters, and forms a rosette of spongy, wedge-shaped leaves.

Water level () The level formed by the surface of still water.

Water level () A kind of leveling instrument. See under Level, n.

Water lily () A blossom or plant of any species of the genus Nymphaea, distinguished for its large floating leaves and beautiful flowers. See Nymphaea.

Water lime () Hydraulic lime.

Water line () Any one of certain lines of a vessel, model, or plan, parallel with the surface of the water at various heights from the keel.

Water line () Any one of several lines marked upon the outside of a vessel, corresponding with the surface of the water when she is afloat on an even keel. The lowest line indicates the vessel's proper submergence when not loaded, and is called the light water line; the highest, called the load water line, indicates her proper submergence when loaded.

Water lizard () Any aquatic lizard of the genus Varanus, as the monitor of the Nile. See Monitor, n., 3.

Water locust () A thorny leguminous tree (Gleditschia monosperma) which grows in the swamps of the Mississippi valley.

Water-logged (a.) Filled or saturated with water so as to be heavy, unmanageable, or loglike; -- said of a vessel, when, by receiving a great quantity of water into her hold, she has become so heavy as not to be manageable by the helm.

Watermen (pl. ) of Waterman

Waterman (n.) A man who plies for hire on rivers, lakes, or canals, or in harbors, in distinction from a seaman who is engaged on the high seas; a man who manages fresh-water craft; a boatman; a ferryman.

Waterman (n.) An attendant on cab stands, etc., who supplies water to the horses.

Waterman (n.) A water demon.

Watermark (n.) A mark indicating the height to which water has risen, or at which it has stood; the usual limit of high or low water.

Watermark (n.) A letter, device, or the like, wrought into paper during the process of manufacture.

Watermark (n.) See Water line, 2.

Water meadow () A meadow, or piece of low, flat land, capable of being kept in a state of fertility by being overflowed with water from some adjoining river or stream.

Water measure () A measure formerly used for articles brought by water, as coals, oysters, etc. The water-measure bushel was three gallons larger than the Winchester bushel.

Water measurer () Any one of numerous species of water; the skater. See Skater, n., 2.

Watermelon (n.) The very large ovoid or roundish fruit of a cucurbitaceous plant (Citrullus vulgaris) of many varieties; also, the plant itself. The fruit sometimes weighs many pounds; its pulp is usually pink in color, and full of a sweet watery juice. It is a native of tropical Africa, but is now cultivated in many countries. See Illust. of Melon.

Water meter () A contrivance for measuring a supply of water delivered or received for any purpose, as from a street main.

Water milfoil () Any plant of the genus Myriophyllum, aquatic herbs with whorled leaves, the submersed ones pinnately parted into capillary divisions.

Water mill () A mill whose machinery is moved by water; -- distinguished from a windmill, and a steam mill.

Water mint () A kind of mint (Mentha aquatica) growing in wet places, and sometimes having a perfume resembling bergamot.

Water mite () Any of numerous species of aquatic mites belonging to Hydrachna and allied genera of the family Hydrachnidae, usually having the legs fringed and adapted for swimming. They are often red or red and black in color, and while young are parasites of fresh-water insects and mussels. Called also water tick, and water spider.

Water moccasin () A venomous North American snake (Ancistrodon piscivorus) allied to the rattlesnake but destitute of a rattle. It lives in or about pools and ponds, and feeds largely of fishes. Called also water snake, water adder, water viper.

Water mole () The shrew mole. See under Shrew.

Water mole () The duck mole. See under Duck.

Water monitor () A very large lizard (Varanaus salvator) native of India. It frequents the borders of streams and swims actively. It becomes five or six feet long. Called also two-banded monitor, and kabaragoya. The name is also applied to other aquatic monitors.

Water motor () A water engine.

Water motor () A water wheel; especially, a small water wheel driven by water from a street main.

Water mouse () Any one of several species of mice belonging to the genus Hydromys, native of Australia and Tasmania. Their hind legs are strong and their toes partially webbed. They live on the borders of streams, and swim well. They are remarkable as being the only rodents found in Australia.

Water murrain () A kind of murrain affecting cattle.

Water newt () Any one of numerous species of aquatic salamanders; a triton.

Water nymph () A goddess of any stream or other body of water, whether one of the Naiads, Nereids, or Oceanides.

Water nymph () A water lily (Nymphaea).

Water oat () Indian rice. See under Rice.

Water opossum () See Yapock, and the Note under Opossum.

Water ordeal () Same as Ordeal by water. See the Note under Ordeal, n., 1.

Water ousel () Alt. of Water ouzel

Water ouzel () Any one of several species of small insessorial birds of the genus Cinclus (or Hydrobates), especially the European water ousel (C. aquaticus), and the American water ousel (C. Mexicanus). These birds live about the water, and are in the habit of walking on the bottom of streams beneath the water in search of food.

Water parsnip () Any plant of the aquatic umbelliferous genus Sium, poisonous herbs with pinnate or dissected leaves and small white flowers.

Water partridge () The ruddy duck.

Water pennywort () Marsh pennywort. See under Marsh.

Water pepper () Smartweed.

Water pepper () Waterwort.

Water pheasant () The pintail. See Pintail, n., 1.

Water pheasant (n.) The goosander.

Water pheasant (n.) The hooded merganser.

Water piet () The water ousel.

Water pig () The capybara.

Water pig () The gourami.

Water pillar () A waterspout.

Water pimpernel () A small white-flowered shrub; brookweed.

Water pipe () A pipe for conveying water.

Water pitcher () A pitcher for water.

Water pitcher () One of a family of plants having pitcher-shaped leaves. The sidesaddle flower (Sarracenia purpurea) is the type.

Water plant () A plant that grows in water; an aquatic plant.

Water plantain () A kind of plant with acrid leaves. See under 2d Plantain.

Water plate () A plate heated by hot water contained in a double bottom or jacket.

Water poa () Meadow reed grass. See under Reed.

Water poise () A hydrometer.

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