wet.html - See: ALL WET, GET ONE'S FEET WET, MAD AS A WET HEN, WRINGING WET.

wet.html - {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not experienced; not knowing how to do something; new in a job or place. * /The new student is still wet behind the ears; he has not yet learned the tricks that the boys play on each other./ Compare: DRY BEHIND THE EARS.

wet.html - {n.}, {informal} A person or thing that keeps others from enjoying life. * /The teenagers don't invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket./ * /The weatherman throws a wet blanket on picnic plans when he forecasts rain./ Compare: CREPE HANGER.

wet.html - {v. phr.}, {slang} To have a drink, especially of liquor. * /Uncle Willie told John to wait outside for a minute while he went in to the cafe to wet his whistle./

wet.html - (Science and Technology) see -ware

wet.html - adj., v., & n. --adj.

(wetter, wettest)
1 soaked, covered, or dampened with water or other liquid (a wet sponge; a wet surface; got my feet wet).
2 (of the weather etc.) rainy (a wet day).
3 (of paint, ink, etc.) not yet dried.
4 used with water (wet shampoo).
5 Brit. colloq. feeble, inept.
6 Brit. Polit. colloq. Conservative with liberal tendencies, esp. as regarded by right-wing Conservatives.
7 sl. (of a country, of legislation, etc.) allowing the free sale of alcoholic drink.
8 (of a baby or young child) incontinent (is still wet at night).

--v.

tr. (wetting; past and past part. wet or wetted)
1 make wet.
2 a urinate in or on (wet the bed). b refl. urinate involuntarily.

--n.

1 moisture; liquid that wets something.
2 rainy weather; a time of rain.
3 Brit. colloq. a feeble or inept person.
4 Brit. Polit. colloq. a Conservative with liberal tendencies (see sense 6 of adj.).
5 colloq. a drink.

wet the baby's head colloq. celebrate its birth with a (usu. alcoholic) drink. wet behind the ears immature, inexperienced. wet blanket see BLANKET . wet dock a dock in which a ship can float. wet dream an erotic dream with involuntary ejaculation of semen. wet fly an artificial fly used under water by an angler. wet look a shiny surface given to clothing materials. wet-nurse n. a woman employed to suckle another's child.

--v.

tr.
1 act as a wet-nurse to.
2 colloq. treat as if helpless. wet pack the therapeutic wrapping of the body in wet cloths etc. wet suit a close-fitting rubber garment worn by skin-divers etc. to keep warm. wet through (or to the skin) with one's clothes soaked. wetting agent a substance that helps water etc. to spread or penetrate. wet one's whistle colloq. drink.

wetly adv. wetness n. wettable adj. wetting n. wettish adj. [OE w

t (adj. & n.), w

tan (v.), rel. to WATER: in ME replaced by past part. of the verb]