water, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

water v.

1. to stand treat, to entertain [SE water, to provide water for, usu., a horse].

1742

P. Yorke letter 15 Dec. in Harris Life Lord Hardwicke (1847) II 43: Charles is watring the Quorum of Bennet, ten miles round; or, to speak less quaintly, is treating away at Cambridge .

2. (US) to ‘pack’ a jury with members who are likely to deliver a biased verdict [SE water, to dilute].

1792

Belknap Hist. New Hampshire III 256: The practice of watering the jury was familiarly known to those persons who had business in the Law [DA].

3. (US) to drink (alcohol).

[1833		‘Jerry Abershaw’s Will’ in Fal-Lal Songster in Spedding & Watt (eds) Bawdy Songbooks (2011) III 16: Let us vater vell our vinkers with some gin, O!].
1973		E. Bunker No Beast So Fierce 284: What bars you water at?

SE in slang uses

In phrases

water (one’s cheeks) (v.)

(US black) to cry.

1999		Sassy ‘My True Christmas Story’ at Sassy1.com 🌐 I was stunned and for a moment, speechless. Tears swelled my eyes and watered my cheeks.
1999		J. Cameron Brown Bread in Wengen [ebook] She leaned over and she watered.

water one’s horse (v.)

see under horse n.

water one’s/the nag (v.)

to urinate.

1835		‘The Ladies Doctor’ in Secret Songster 27: If a woman’s confined in her bowels, / Or can’t water the nag very free.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1985		‘Thommo’ Dict. Aus. Swearing & Sex Sayings 138: WATER THE HORSE — Male urination.

water one’s plants (v.)

to weep.

1578

Lyly Euphues (1916) 101: Neither water thou thy plants, in that thou departest from thy pigsney.

water the dragon (v.) [euph.; ? long antedating of dragon n.⁴ (1)]

to urinate.

1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 267: ‘Water the dragon,’ or ‘water one’s nag’ hints for retiring.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

water the flowers (v.) (also water the geraniums, ...lemon tree, ...wisteria) [euph.]

to urinate.

1969		J. Hibberd Dimboola (2000) 95: Excuse me, lady, I wish to water the wisteria with my weapon.
1972		R.A. Wilson Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words.
1986		F. Taylor Auf Wiedersehen Pet Two 62: ‘Where’s Oz and Mox?’ ‘Waterin’ the geraniums, I should imagine.’.
2018		G. Disher Kill Shot [ebook] Hagger liked to relieve himself, too, and was watering the lemon tree when Wyatt slipped into the house.

water the horses (v.) [euph. but note water one’s horse under horse n.]

to urinate.

1963–74

B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 34: Hang on will you while I shoot through to the snakes house and water the horses.