warm water
Water heated to a degree considerably below boiling-point. Also attrib. (with hyphen).
| c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 902 in Babees Bk. 178 And watur warme his handes to wasche. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. 34 b, Lyntels..groweth hye..when it is wette in warme water and Saltpeter before it be sowen. a 1756 E. Haywood New Present (1771) 267 Wet the linen with warm water. 1876 Clin. Soc. Trans. IX. 10 A vesicular rash,..which subsided with warm-water dressing. 1896 Allbutt's Syst. Med. I. 428 A warm-water pillow may be ordered. |
b. The seas of warmer regions as opposed to the Arctic Ocean. Also attrib.
| 1883 Wallem Fish Supply Norway 4 These warm-water basins in the Norwegian Ocean are of the greatest importance for the fauna and flora. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 7 Mar. 1/2 Our own Ministers have invited Russia to a warm-water port. Ibid. 26 Sept. 1/2 Russia..may fairly desire access to ‘the warm water’, as the phrase goes. |
† c. fig. Cf. hot water 3. Obs.
| 1813 Examiner 29 Mar. 207/2 He lives in eternal warm water. |