1. [n]  facility that provides a source of water; "the town debated the purification of the water supply"; "first you have to cut off the water"
2. [n]  the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean); "they invaded our territorial waters"; "they were sitting by the water's edge"
3. [n]  binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; "he asked for a drink of water"
4. [n]  (archaic) once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)
5. [n]  liquid excretory product; "there was blood in his urine"; "the child had to make water"
6. [v]  secrete or form water, as tears or saliva; "My mouth watered at the prospect of a good dinner"; "His eyes watered"
7. [v]  supply with water, as with channelsor ditches or streams; "Water the fields"
8. [v]  fill with tears; "His eyes were watering"
9. [v]  provide with water; "We watered the buffalo"

Water
Examines major environmental issues surrounding water, giving examples of attempts to solve global problems and sources for more information.

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1. \Wa"ter\ (w[add]"t[~e]r), n. [AS. w[ae]ter; akin to OS.
   watar, OFries. wetir, weter, LG. & D. water, G. wasser, OHG.
   wazzar, Icel. vatn, Sw. vatten, Dan. vand, Goth. wat[=o], O.
   Slav. & Russ. voda, Gr. 'y`dwr, Skr. udan water, ud to wet,
   and perhaps to L. unda wave. [root]137. Cf. {Dropsy},
   {Hydra}, {Otter}, {Wet}, {Whisky}.]
   1. The fluid which descends from the clouds in rain, and
      which forms rivers, lakes, seas, etc. ``We will drink
      water.'' --Shak. ``Powers of fire, air, water, and
      earth.'' --Milton.
   Note: Pure water consists of hydrogen and oxygen, {H2O}, and
         is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, transparent
         liquid, which is very slightly compressible. At its
         maximum density, 39[deg] Fahr. or 4[deg] C., it is the
         standard for specific gravities, one cubic centimeter
         weighing one gram. It freezes at 32[deg] Fahr. or
         0[deg] C. and boils at 212[deg] Fahr. or 100[deg] C.
         (see {Ice}, {Steam}). It is the most important natural
         solvent, and is frequently impregnated with foreign
         matter which is mostly removed by distillation; hence,
         rain water is nearly pure. It is an important
         ingredient in the tissue of animals and plants, the
         human body containing about two thirds its weight of
         water.
   2. A body of water, standing or flowing; a lake, river, or
      other collection of water.
            Remembering he had passed over a small water a poor
            scholar when first coming to the university, he
            kneeled.                              --Fuller.
   3. Any liquid secretion, humor, or the like, resembling
      water; esp., the urine.
   4. (Pharm.) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily
      volatile substance; as, ammonia water. --U. S. Pharm.
   5. The limpidity and luster of a precious stone, especially a
      diamond; as, a diamond of the first water, that is,
      perfectly pure and transparent. Hence, of the first water,
      that is, of the first excellence.
   6. A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted
      to linen, silk, metals, etc. See {Water}, v. t., 3,
      {Damask}, v. t., and {Damaskeen}.
   7. An addition to the shares representing the capital of a
      stock company so that the aggregate par value of the
      shares is increased while their value for investment is
      diminished, or ``diluted.'' [Brokers' Cant]
   Note: Water is often used adjectively and in the formation of
         many self-explaining compounds; as, water drainage;
         water gauge, or water-gauge; waterfowl, water-fowl, or
         water fowl; water-beaten; water-borne, water-circled,
         water-girdled, water-rocked, etc.
   {Hard water}. See under {Hard}.
   {Inch of water}, a unit of measure of quantity of water,
      being the quantity which will flow through an orifice one
      inch square, or a circular orifice one inch in diameter,
      in a vertical surface, under a stated constant head; also
      called {miner's inch}, and {water inch}. The shape of the
      orifice and the head vary in different localities. In the
      Western United States, for hydraulic mining, the standard
      aperture is square and the head from 4 to 9 inches above
      its center. In Europe, for experimental hydraulics, the
      orifice is usually round and the head from 1/2 of an inch
      to 1 inch above its top.
   {Mineral water}, waters which are so impregnated with foreign
      ingredients, such as gaseous, sulphureous, and saline
      substances, as to give them medicinal properties, or a
      particular flavor or temperature.
   {Soft water}, water not impregnated with lime or mineral
      salts.
   {To hold water}. See under {Hold}, v. t.
   {To keep one's head above water}, to keep afloat; fig., to
      avoid failure or sinking in the struggles of life.
      [Colloq.]
   {To make water}.
      (a) To pass urine. --Swift.
      (b) (Naut.) To admit water; to leak.
   {Water of crystallization} (Chem.), the water combined with
      many salts in their crystalline form. This water is
      loosely, but, nevertheless, chemically, combined, for it
      is held in fixed and definite amount for each substance
      containing it. Thus, while pure copper sulphate, {CuSO4},
      is a white amorphous substance, blue vitriol, the
      crystallized form, {CuSO4.5H2O}, contains five molecules
      of water of crystallization.
   {Water on the brain} (Med.), hydrocephalus.
   {Water on the chest} (Med.), hydrothorax.
   Note: Other phrases, in which water occurs as the first
         element, will be found in alphabetical order in the
         Vocabulary.
   

2. \Wa"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Watered}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Watering}.] [AS. w[ae]terian, gew[ae]terian.]
   1. To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with
      water; to irrigate; as, to water land; to water flowers.
            With tears watering the ground.       --Milton.
            Men whose lives gilded on like rivers that water the
            woodlands.                            --Longfellow.
   2. To supply with water for drink; to cause or allow to
      drink; as, to water cattle and horses.
   3. To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a
      lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with
      wavelike lines; as, to water silk. Cf. {Water}, n., 6.
   4. To add water to (anything), thereby extending the quantity
      or bulk while reducing the strength or quality; to extend;
      to dilute; to weaken.
   {To water stock}, to increase the capital stock of a company
      by issuing new stock, thus diminishing the value of the
      individual shares. Cf. {Water}, n., 7. [Brokers' Cant]
   

3. \Wa"ter\, v. i.
   1. To shed, secrete, or fill with, water or liquid matter;
      as, his eyes began to water.
            If thine eyes can water for his death. --Shak.
   2. To get or take in water; as, the ship put into port to
      water.
   {The mouth waters}, a phrase denoting that a person or animal
      has a longing desire for something, since the sight of
      food often causes one who is hungry to have an increased
      flow of saliva.