▪ I. moist, a. and n.
(mɔɪst)
Also 4–5 moiste, 4–6 moyste, 4–7 moyst, 5 moste, 6 mowest.
[a. OF. moiste (mod.F. moite).
The ulterior etymology is disputed. By most scholars OF. moiste is believed to represent late L. muccidus, an altered form of L. mūcidus mouldy, related to mūcēre to be mouldy, mūcor mouldiness, mūcus mucus. Cf. F. moisir to grow mouldy:-popular Latin *mŭcīre, class. L. mūcēre; also Rumonsch musch wet, Friuli moscid doughy, It. moscio limp. Some, however, following Diez, consider it to represent L. musteus like new wine, also fresh, new (said, e.g. of cheese, pepper, etc.), f. mustum new wine, must. It is possible that the two Latin words have coalesced in Fr.]
A. adj.
1. a. Slightly imbued with wetness; containing liquid in a state of suspension or absorption; not dry; damp, humid.
Now differing from damp in having no tendency to imply either an undesirable or a merely temporary or casual condition. In early use the word had a wider application.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xix. (1495) 123 Kynde makyth the mouth moyste wythin to tempre and chaunge the eselyar the dryenes of the mete. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) ix. 100 Ȝiff the Erthe were made moyst and weet with that Watre, it wolde nevere bere Fruyt. Ibid. xiv. 160 Ȝif Venym or Poysoun be broughte in presence of the Dyamand, anon it begynnethe to wexe moyst and for to swete. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 258 With her moyst clothes with teares all be spreynt. 1483 Cath. Angl. 244/1 To make moste, liquidare, & cetera, vbi to wete. 1529 Wolsey in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880) 10 This mowest & corupt ayer. 1555 Eden Decades 137 The confynes of the chiefe citie are moister then is necessary. 1611 Bible Song 3 Child. 26 As it had bene a moist whistling wind. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 741 The Hills to their supplie Vapour, and Exhalation dusk and moist, Sent up amain. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. I. 30/1 The moistest part of the Quarry. 1727–46 Thomson Summer 1587 Like the red-rose bud moist with morning-dew. 1789 W. Buchan Dom. Med. (1790) 207 The skin grows moister, and the sweat..begins to have a peculiar fœtid smell. 1796 C. Marshall Garden. xviii. (1813) 311 Let spring sown seeds be watered occasionally, according to the weather, to keep them moist. 1797 Coleridge Christabel i. 218 The lady wiped her moist cold brow. 1815 Elphinstone Acc. Caubul (1842) II. 91 The Gurmseer itself is moist, and sometimes even marshy. 1862 H. Spencer First Princ. ii. x. §84 (1875) 258 Moist winds..lose so much heat when they reach the cold mountain peaks, that condensation rapidly takes place. 1866 Tate Brit. Mollusks iv. 159 The variety inhabits moist places. 1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer I. 22 You are oppressed with a moist heat. |
b. Of the eyes: Wet with tears, ready to shed tears. In 16–17th c. also, Watery, ‘rheumy’ (as one of the signs of old age).
| c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶26 Whan that thy frend is deed quod he lat nat thyne eyen to moyste been of teeris. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 203 Haue you not a moist eye? a dry hand?..a white beard?..and wil you cal your selfe yong? 1609 B. Jonson Sil. Wom. i. i, Weake hammes, moist eyes, and shrunke members. 1807 Wordsw. White Doe ii. 68 On the banner..He glanced a look of holy pride, And his moist eyes were glorified. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam v. iv, Thoughts which make the moist eyes overbrim. 1859 Tennyson Enid 1199 The tender sound..Made his eye moist. 1897 ‘H. S. Merriman’ In Kedar's Tents vi, A round-faced, chubby little man, with a tender mouth and moist dark eyes looking kindly out upon the world. |
c. Of a season, climate, etc.: Wet; rainy; having some rain; having a considerable rainfall.
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. viii. 147 One somer is softe and moyste, And another is drye and wyndy. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 89 The hote & moyste whether. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies ii. ii. 84 The night being colder then the day, is likewise more moist. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 146 Ye Swains, invoke the Pow'rs who rule the Sky, For a moist Summer, and a Winter dry. 1815 Elphinstone Acc. Caubul (1842) I. 175 Some places are refreshed in summer by breezes from moister countries. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. vii, The weather is moist and raw. 1878 Jevons Prim. Pol. Econ. iii. 30 In England we have good soil and a moist climate fitted for growing grass. |
† d. In mediæval physiology, said of elements, humours, planets, etc. (
= humid b); opposed to
dry. (See
cold a. 6.)
Obs.| c 1381 Chaucer Parl. Foules 380 Nature..That hot, cold, heuy, lyght, moyst, & dreye Hath knyt with euene noumberis of a-cord In esy voys gan for to speke & seye [etc.]. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 120 [Cancer] of himself is moiste and cold. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 12 Oon of þe men is of an hoot complexioun & a moist, þat oþer of a cold complexioun & a drie. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xvi. (Percy Soc.) 73 Youth is..Hote, and moyste, and full of lustines. c 1550 Lloyd Treas. Health A j, It shal do good to moyst persons and women. 1604 Shakes. Ham. i. i. 118 (2nd Qo.), And the moist starre, Vpon whose influence Neptunes Empier stands, Was sicke almost to doomesday with eclipse. 1707 Floyer Physic. Pulse-Watch 71 In Children and Women the cooler and moister Diet is most agreeable to preserve their natural Pulses. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 183 They [sc. fish] are cold and moist, and must needs, say they, produce juices of the same kind. |
† 2. a. Of plants, fruits, etc.: ‘Juicy, succulent’ (J.); not withered or dry; fresh as opposed to dried.
Obs.| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 68 Matrymonye I may nyme a moiste fruit with-alle. 1382 Wyclif Job viii. 16 Moiste semeth the resshe befor the Sunne come. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 41 b, It is then best of all riuen, clouen and cut in sunder when it is moyst and greene. 1607 Shakes. Timon iv. iii. 223 Will these moyst Trees..page thy heeles And skip when thou point'st out? 1611 Bible Num. vi. 3 Nor [shall he] eate moist grapes, or dried. 1611 Cotgr., Succulent, succulent, sappie, moist, full of iuice. |
† b. Of liquor: New, not stale.
Obs.| c 1386 Chaucer Sir Thopas 53 Notemuge to putte in Ale, Wheither it be moyste or stale. ― Pard. Prol. 29 A draughte of moyste and corny Ale. |
† c. New, not worn, ‘green’.
Obs.| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 457 Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed fful streite yteyd and shoes ful moyste and newe. |
† 3. Yielding moisture or water; bringing or that brings rain or moisture; containing water (or other liquid).
Obs.| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 264 Thilke blod which scholde have ese To regne among the moiste veines. 1590 Spenser F. Q. iii. i. 57 The moist daughters of huge Atlas strove Into the Ocean deepe to drive their weary drove. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. i. 167 Ere twice in murke and occidentall dampe Moist Hesperus hath quench'd her sleepy Lampe. 1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. i. ii. 167 Plaine Meteors, bred of the exhalation of Tobacco, and the vapors of a moyst pot, that soare vp into the open ayre. 1704 Pope Windsor For. 119 Moist Arcturus clouds the sky. |
† 4. Liquid; watery.
Obs.| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. met. v. 132 (Camb. MS.) Oother beestis by the wandrynge lyhtnesse of hir wyngis betyn the wyndes and ouerswymmyn the spaces of the longe eyr by moyst fleeynge [orig. liquido volatu]. 1388 Wyclif Jer. xliv. 25 Offre to it moist sacrifices [1382 Ibid. sacryfises of licoures]. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 94 The moiste dropes of the reyn Descenden into Middilerthe. 1530 Palsgr. 744/2, I swalowe downe any medycyne or lycour that is moyste, je assorbys. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. v. 140 (1600 Qo.) But for my teares, The moist impediments vnto my speech, I had forestald this deere and deep rebuke. c 1611 Chapman Iliad i. 308 The moist waies of the sea they saild [Gr. ἐπέπλεον ὑγρὰ κέλευθα]. |
5. Associated or connected with liquid.
spec. a. poet. Tearful; accompanied with tears.
b. Said of a process or apparatus in which liquid is used.
† moist measure: liquid measure.
c. Of diseases, etc.: Marked by a discharge of matter, phlegm, etc.
| 1562 Turner Baths 13 A ciath..holdeth after moyste measure an unce and an halfe. 1605 1st Pt. Ieronimo i. ii. 61 Tis as common To weepe at parting as to be a woman..play not this moyst prize. 1637 Milton Lycidas 159 Where ere thy bones are hurld, Whether beyond the stormy Hebrides,..Or whether thou to our moist vows deny'd, Sleep'st by the fable of Bellerus old. 1796 Kirwan Elem. Min. (ed. 2) II. 395 No effectual method of analyzing this ore [Tui stone], in the moist way has as yet been discovered. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 812 The assay of ores, comprehending the mechanical part: that is, by washing; the chemical part, or assays by the dry way; and the assays by the moist way. 1876 J. S. Bristowe Th. & Pract. Med. (1878) 86 When..the gangrene is what is usually called ‘moist’. 1891 Syd. Soc. Lex., Moist tetter. Ibid., Moist wart, the Condyloma acuminatum. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 511 It [sc. eczema of the fingers] may be dry or moist. Ibid. 524 The healing of a chronic moist eczema may be indefinitely delayed by washing. |
d. Med. Of sounds heard in auscultation: Suggesting the presence of liquid.
| 1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xx. 230 The only stethoscopic phenomena observed were extensive minute and moist bronchial râles. 1898 Allbutt's Syst. Med. V. 10 Two great classes of the dry and of the moist sounds. |
† 6. Addicted to drink. (
Cf. dry a. 3.)
Obs. rare—1.
| 1619 R. Harris Drunkard's Cup 8 By the testimony of the loosest and moystest naturalists, the very Poets. |
7. Special collocations:
moist chamber, a ‘chamber’ in which microscopic objects may be kept moist;
moist colour, a water-colour pigment in the form of a soft paste;
moist gum = dextrin (
Cent. Dict. 1890);
moist stove, a hot-house heated with a moist heat;
moist sugar, unrefined or partially refined sugar; also
attrib. and
Comb., as
moist sugar-coloured adj.;
moist sugar bowl,
moist spoon, etc.
| 1869 Dallinger & Drysdale in Monthly Microsc. Jrnl. (1874) XI. 97 Recklinghausen's ‘*moist chamber’ only enables us to arrest for a short time the dissipation of the fluid under examination. 1876 Rutherford Outl. Histol. (ed. 2) 150 Schultze's modification of Recklinghausen's moist chamber. |
| 1885 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 86/1 For water colours the pigments are prepared..as ‘*moist colours’ contained in small porcelain dishes. |
| 1824 Loudon Encycl. Gard. (ed. 2) §6177 The bark or *moist stove..having a pit for bark or other fermenting matter instead of a stage. 1845 Florist's Jrnl. 124, I then place them..in a moist stove or forcing house. |
| [1657 R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 85 The Sugars they made, were but bare Muscavadoes,..so *moist, and full of molasses, and so ill cur'd.] 1826 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. xliv. IV. 202 Of a granular appearance, much resembling fine moist sugar. 1835 Court Mag. VI. 169/1 The two Misses Larkin..wore their own sevenpenny-moist-sugar coloured hair. 1847 A. & H. Mayhew Greatest Plague of Life iii. 30 She could not for the life of her lay her hands upon the lump-sugar, and we were obliged to put up with moist. 1886 W. H. St. J. Hope in Archæologia L. 150 This mazer was formerly used in the family as a moist-sugar bowl. |
8. Comb., chiefly parasynthetic, as
moist-brained,
moist-eyed,
moist-lipped,
moist-natured,
moist-nosed,
moist-skinned,
moist-tinged adjs; also
moist-striking adj.| 1606 Sir G. Goosecappe i. i. in Bullen O. Pl., III. 9, I..know him to be a dull *moist-braind Asse. |
| 1847 Webster (citing Coleridge), *Moist-eyed. |
| 1962 I. Murdoch Unofficial Rose xxix. 284 She was, as he looked down at her, tense, *moist-lipped. |
| 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 71 A very excellent Soil for a cold *moist-natured Land. |
| 1934 Dylan Thomas Let. 9 May (1966) 120, I would have introduced a..paragraph all about her nasty little *moist-nosed muse. |
| 1957 J. S. Huxley Relig. without Revelation (rev. ed.) ix. 216 The reptiles replaced the *moist-skinned amphibians. |
| 1816 L. Hunt Rimini iv. 177 Then issue forth in this *moist-striking air. |
| 1943 D. Gascoyne Poems 1937–42 55 Obscurely still beneath a *moist-tinged blank Sky like the inside of a deaf mute's mouth. |
† B. absol. and n. That which is moist; moisture. Also, moist quality, moistness.
| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 1564 Abouten it is gras springing, For moiste so thikke and wel lyking, That it ne may in winter dye. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 97 The fyr..is withoute moist al drye. c 1470 Henryson Mor. Fab. i. (Cock & Jasp) xi, Riches..Quhilk maith, nor moist, nor vther rust can screit. 1562 Turner Baths 3 b, It is good for the crampe and for all colde diseases and moyste of the synewes. 1592 Davies Immort. Soul xxxi. v, She lodgeth Heat, and Cold, and Moist, and Dry, And Life, and Death, and Peace, and War together. 1606 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. iii. Schisme 419 Myrtles and Bays for want of moist grew wan. 1615 Chapman Odyss. viii. 67 The deepe moist then They further reacht. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 652 Who..Bear his swift errands over moist and dry, O're Sea and Land. 1742 Young Nt. Th. ix. 99 The moist of human frame the sun exhales; Winds scatter, thro' the mighty void, the dry. |
▪ II. moist, v. Forms: 4–6
moyste,
moiste, 6–7
moyst (
pa. pple. moist), 6–
moist.
[f. moist a.] 1. a. trans. To render moist, impart moisture to; to moisten, wet.
Obs. exc. dial. (see E.D.D.).
| 1382 Wyclif Job xxi. 24 And the bones of hym ben moistid with marȝ [Vulg. irrigantur]. ― Luke vii. 38 Sche..bigan to moiste his feet with teeris. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. xxii. (Tollem. MS.), Constantyn sayeþ þat drynke is nedful for many maner cause: ffor hit moysteþ þe drie body. Ibid. xiv. xlvi. (1495) 483 Valeyes ben moysted with stremes that come out of mountaynes. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 248 Blak brede..In hote watyr moystyd..she eet. c 1530 T. Pridioxe in Collier Hist. Dram. Poetry (1831) II. 384 Beholde myne eyes whose teres do moyst my paled face. 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe (1541) 32 b, Wyne heateth and moysteth the bodye. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 174 Moisting womens breastes that before were drie and wanted milke. 1590 C'tess Pembroke Antonie 600 His sworde Alreadie moisted is in his warme bloude. 1655 in Hartlib Ref. Commw. Bees 18 Rye..need not..be dryed, but beaten and moisted with its own liquor. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. ii. 145 As evening moists the daisy by thy side. |
b. To slake or quench (one's) thirst.
to moist one's lip: to drink very little; also (slang)
to moist one's clay. (
Cf. moisten v. 1 b.) Now
dial.| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 366 May no drynke me moiste ne my thruste slake, Tyl [etc.]. 1530 Palsgr. 639/2, I dyd nat drinke to day, I dyd but moyste my lyppes with a quarter of wine. a 1562 G. Cavendish Wolsey (1893) 241 Thus passed he forthe his dynner in great lamentacion and hevynes, whiche was more fed and moystyd with sorowe & teares, than with owther pleasant mets or dylicate drynks. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Lycurgus (1595) 45 So they al dranke hartely except himself, who..did no more but a litle moyste his mouth without, and so refreshed himself. 1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. i. ii. 339 Meete me an houre hence, at the signe of the Pegasus in Cheapside, and Ile moyst thy temples with a cuppe of Claret. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. ii. 285 Now no more The iuyce of Egypts Grape shall moyst this lip. 1834 A. Smart Rambling Rhymes 120 When he used to moist his clay An' lay his corn in. |
† c. fig. Chiefly, To soften (the heart, etc.).
Obs.| 13.. Propr. Sanct. (Vernon MS.) in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr. LXXXI. 317/57 Þe wȝuche techers dude Moyste wel þe hertes of trewe men eueridel. 1435 Misyn Fire of Love ii. v. 80 Froo qwhens he byrnys with lufe swetist & with a draght of heuenly passage he is moystid & vmbesett & truly is transformyd with heit of happis to-cum. 1557 Sarum Primer 1 Good Lorde Jesu Christe,..moiste my minde with thy most precious bloude. 1578 G. Whetstone 2nd Pt. Promos & Cassandra v. ii, Stormes of teares did showre As myght, with rueth, haue moyst a stony hart. 1598 Rowlands Betraying of Christ 27 And let my teares be flouds to moist my heart. |
† 2. absol.| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 37 b, Sprinkle a vessell of water and it moisteth not, but cast it out wholy together and it bothe washeth and norisheth. 1562 W. Bullein Bulwark, Bk. Simples 5 Waxe is good for plasters..it moisteth and is used for outwarde Medicines. 1581 Mulcaster Positions xx. (1887) 87 Walking in the dew moystes and harmes. 1624 Donne Devotions, etc. (ed. 2) 162 As thy water moysts, so it cooles too. |
3. intr. To rain slightly, to drizzle.
U.S. rare.
| 1916 H. L. Wilson Somewhere in Red Gap iii. 117 It was moisting when we started, and pretty soon it clouded up. Ibid. 118 It wasn't moisting any more—it was raining for fair. |
Hence
† ˈmoisted ppl. a.;
† ˈmoisting vbl. n. and ppl. a.| 1382 Wyclif Deut. xi. 10 Moystynge watrys [Vulg. aquæ irriguæ]. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiii. v. (Bodl. MS.), After thee moistinge of þe londe þe h[epes of] grauel toschedeþ. 1541 R. Copland Galyen's Terap. 2 A iv, Sease y⊇ bathynge & moystynge. 1549–62 Sternhold & H. Ps. cxvi. 8 Thou hast deliuered..my moisted eien from mourneful teares. a 1562 G. Cavendish Wolsey in Wordsw. Eccl. Biog. (1818) I. 456 After he had..dried his moisted cheekes, he spake to them in this sorte. 1586 Bright Melanch. xl. 268 All which purgers are to be..mingled with some moysting decoction. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. ii. 40 Upon whose moisted skirt, with sea-weed fring'd about, The bastard Corall breeds. |
▪ III. moist obs. Sc. f. most;
must n. (musk) and v.