water-sick
Definition
Adjective (Agriculture): - Over-irrigated and infertile: "water-sick" describes soil that has become infertile or unproductive due to being excessively watered or flooded. This condition often results in poor drainage, waterlogging, and a lack of nutrients for plant growth.
Usage Examples
- (The soil was too wet and infertile.)
- (The soil becomes unproductive due to excess moisture.)
Advanced Usage
"to become water-sick": to undergo the process of becoming infertile due to oversaturation.
- The land gradually became water-sick from years of excessive irrigation. (The soil lost its fertility over time.)
"water-sick soil": a specific term used in agriculture to refer to soil that is degraded by waterlogging.
- Water-sick soil often requires drainage improvements before it can be used again. (Such soil needs restoration.)
Variants and Related Words
Waterlogging (n): the state of being saturated with water, often leading to infertility.
- The waterlogging of the field caused the plants to rot. (The soil was too wet.)
Sick soil (n): a general term for unhealthy or unproductive soil, which can include water-sick conditions.
- Sick soil may be treated with amendments to restore its fertility. (Unproductive soil.)
Synonyms
- Waterlogged: saturated with water, often to the point of being unusable for agriculture.
- Bogged down: stuck or made heavy by excess water (less technical).
- Sodden: thoroughly wet and heavy, often referring to ground or soil.
Related Idioms
- "Sick as a dog": (not directly related, but a common idiom) very ill; however, "water-sick" is a specific agricultural term, not an idiom for personal illness.
- The soil is as water-sick as a dog after a storm. (Uncommon, but used for emphasis.)