water down something

water down something
water down (something) to make something weaker.

Some people say the new regulations water down several laws that protect people who rent apartments in the city.

Once the bill is introduced, he's worried that lawmakers will water it down.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of water down something (= to add water to a liquid to weaken things mixed in it)

New idioms dictionary. 2014.

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  • water down — (something) to make something weaker. Some people say the new regulations water down several laws that protect people who rent apartments in the city. Once the bill is introduced, he s worried that lawmakers will water it down. Etymology: based… …   New idioms dictionary

  • water down — verb 1. make less strong or intense (Freq. 1) water down the mixture • Hypernyms: ↑dilute, ↑thin, ↑thin out, ↑reduce, ↑cut • Verb Frames …   Useful english dictionary

  • water down —    If you water down something such as a report, declaration or proposal, you try to make it weaker or less likely to cause anger.     When announcing the rejection of the proposal, he tried to water down the committee s negative comments …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • water down — 1) PHRASAL VERB If you water down a substance, for example food or drink, you add water to it to make it weaker. [V P n (not pron)] You can water down a glass of wine and make it last twice as long... [V n P] I bought a water based paint, then… …   English dictionary

  • water down — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms water down : present tense I/you/we/they water down he/she/it waters down present participle watering down past tense watered down past participle watered down 1) to make something such as a statement or… …   English dictionary

  • wash down something — wash down (something) to drink a liquid to help you swallow something. It was a great meal washed down with several glasses of wine. He got two aspirin and washed them down with a glass of water …   New idioms dictionary

  • water down — /ˌwɔ:tə daυn/ verb to make something less strong ● The family’s holdings have been watered down by the creation of the new shares …   Dictionary of banking and finance

  • Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song) — Patti LaBelle And Her Blue Belles Veröffentlichung 1963 Länge 3:39 Genre(s) Doo Wop, Rock n Roll Autor(en) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • water — [wôt′ər, wät′ər] n. [ME < OE wæter, akin to Ger wasser < IE * wodōr < * wed , to wet (< base * awed , to moisten, flow) > Gr hydōr, water, L unda, a wave, Russ voda, water, Ir uisce, water] 1. the colorless, transparent liquid… …   English World dictionary

  • water — wa|ter1 W1S3 [ˈwo:tə US ˈwo:tər, ˈwa: ] n [U] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(liquid)¦ 2¦(area of water)¦ 3 waters 4 high/low water 5 uncharted/troubled/murky waters 6 be (all) water under the bridge 7 like water 8 like water off a duck s back 9 somebody s waters b …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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