wet 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. øwet 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. øøwetly adv. wetness n. wettable adj. wetting n. wettish adj. [OE
wót (adj. & n.), wótan (v.), rel. to WATER: in ME replaced by past part. of the verb]