Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

12 PHRASE If you are in hot water , you are in trouble. [INFORMAL ] □  The company has already been in hot water over high prices this year.

13 PHRASE If you pour cold water on an idea or suggestion, you show that you have a low opinion of it. □  City economists pour cold water on the idea that the economic recovery has begun.

14 PHRASE If you test the water or test the waters , you try to find out what reaction an action or idea will get before you do it or tell it to people. □  You should be cautious when getting involved and test the water before committing yourself.

15like water off a duck's back → see duck

16to take to something like a duck to water → see duck

17to keep your head above water → see head

▸  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.