make water

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Verb

make water (third-person singular simple present makes water, present participle making water, simple past and past participle made water)

1. (euphemistic) To urinate.
   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author by an Extraordinary Stratagem Prevents an Invasion. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 91:

     For, by the fundamental Laws of the Realm, it is Capital in any Perſon, of what Quality ſoever, to make water within the Precincts of the Palace.

   • 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 907:

     She was dismayed by this unusual display of independence and took herself off to make water which she did with enough noise for four thoroughbreds.

2. (nautical) To admit water; to leak.

Synonyms

• (urinate): pass water, see also Thesaurus:urinate

Translations

urinate — see also urinate

• Basque: txisa egin
• Greek:

  Ancient: οὐρέω (ouréō), ὀμείχω (omeíkhō)

• Sanskrit: मेहति (sa) (mehati)
• Spanish: hacer aguas menores
• Swedish: kasta vatten (sv)
• Welsh: gwneud dŵr