eyewater

A person uses eyewater to rinse their eye.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medicinal or cleansing liquid for the eyes: "eyewater" refers to a solution used to wash or treat the eyes, often for soothing irritation or removing foreign particles.
   • Tears: In a less common sense, "eyewater" can mean the watery fluid secreted by the lacrimal glands, i.e., tears.
   • Anatomical fluid (aqueous humor): In anatomy, "eyewater" is an older term for the aqueous humor, the clear fluid filling the front part of the eye between the cornea and the lens.

Usage Examples

• Medicinal liquid:
  • The doctor prescribed an eyewater to relieve the patient's conjunctivitis. (A liquid solution for treating eye inflammation.)
• Tears:
  • The strong onion fumes brought eyewater to her eyes. (Tears caused by irritation.)
• Anatomical fluid:
  • The surgeon noted an increase in pressure in the eyewater of the patient's eye. (Referring to the aqueous humor.)

Advanced Usage

• "to need eyewater": to require eye drops or a soothing wash.
  • After a long day in a dusty field, the farmer reached for his eyewater. (He needed a liquid to clean and soothe his eyes.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eyewash (n): a liquid used for washing the eyes; also a slang term for deceptive talk or nonsense.
  • The doctor recommended an eyewash to flush out the irritant. (A synonym for eyewater in the medicinal sense.)

Synonyms

• Eye drops: a liquid medication applied directly to the eyes.
• Tears: the salty fluid produced by the lacrimal glands.
• Aqueous humor: the clear fluid inside the front part of the eye.

Related Idioms

• No common idioms directly use "eyewater", but the phrase "to bring water to the eyes" (to cause tears) is related.
  • The sad story brought eyewater to her eyes. (It made her cry.)