Drinkwater

adj, name, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Small, rural, and insignificant. not-comparable

    "And for a moment it seemed that everything would be all right, that we were traveling back in time to that idyllic farm near a drinkwater town in Iowa, back to my boyhood, and that Mina would always smile up at me from her bed."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname transferred from the nickname.
Noun
  1. 1
    Potable water; water intended for drinking uncountable

    "In very dry seasons some drinkwater is brought from wells dug in the bed of the river, about half-an hour from the village."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From drink + water, a nickname given to a pauper or miser, unable or unwilling to afford beer; or alternatively, a nickname given to an innkeeper or a noted tippler.

Etymology 2

From Middle English drinkwater (attested as a nickname), equivalent to drink + water. Compare Saterland Frisian Drinkwoater (“drinkwater”), West Frisian drinkwetter (“drinkwater”), Dutch drinkwater (“drinkwater”), German Low German Drinkwater (“drinkwater”), German Trinkwasser (“drinkwater”).

Etymology 3

From Middle English drinkwater (attested as a nickname), equivalent to drink + water. Compare Saterland Frisian Drinkwoater (“drinkwater”), West Frisian drinkwetter (“drinkwater”), Dutch drinkwater (“drinkwater”), German Low German Drinkwater (“drinkwater”), German Trinkwasser (“drinkwater”).

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