Water
.Court holy water. Fair but empty words. In French, “Eau bémte de cour.”
It makes my mouth water. It is very alluring; it makes me long for it. Saliva is excited in the mouth by strong desire. The French have the same phrase: “Cela fait venir lʹeau à la bouche.”
More water glideth by the mill than wots the miller of (Titus Andronicus, ii. 1). The Scotch say, “Mickle water goes by the miller when he sleeps.” (See under Miller.)
Oʹer muckle water drowned the miller. (See Drown the Miller.) The weaver, in fact, is hanged in his own yarn. The French say, “Un embarras de richesse.”
Of the first water. Of the highest type; very excellent. (See under Diamond.)
Smooth water runs deep. Deep thinkers are persons of few words; barking dogs do not bite. There are two or three French proverbs of somewhat similar meaning. For example: “En eau endormie point ne se fe;” again, “Lʹeau qui dort est pire que celle qui court.” A calm exterior is far more to be feared than a tongue-doughty Bobadil.
The modest water saw its God and blushed. The allusion is to Christ’s turning water into wine at the marriage feast. Richard Crashaw (1670) wrote the Latin epigram in pentameter verse.
“Nympha pudica Deum vidit et erubuit.”
To carry water to the river. To carry coals to Newcastle. In French, “Porter de lʹeau à la rivière.”
To fish in troubled water. The French saying is, “Pêcher en eau troublé,” i.e. “Profiter des époques de trouble et de révolution pour faire ses affaires et sz fortune. (Hilaire Le Gai.)
To hold water. That wonʹt hold water. That is not correct; it is not tenable. It is a vessel which leaks.
