water-laid

[ waw-ter-leyd, wot-er- ]

adjective

, Ropemaking.

1. noting a rope laid left-handed from three or four plain-laid ropes, in the making of which water was used to wet the fibers instead of the more customary oil or tallow.

Word History and Origins

Origin of water-laid¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

The desert surface is water-laid, and each rainfall improves the surface, so a fully flooded track is good news.

From BBC

The lower part of this valley was filled with the water-laid drift of the overwash plain.

From Project Gutenberg

A mass of stratified drift overlies a hummocky deposit of coarse till, but large boulders occurring here and there on top of the stratified drift show that the ice-laid and water-laid materials were not completely sorted.

From Project Gutenberg

The accumulations of stratified drift are distinguished from other features in the landscape by their smoother and rounder outlines, by their habit of lying unconformably on the bedrock without reference to old erosion lines, and by a slightly different tone in the color of the vegetation covering the water-laid material.

From Project Gutenberg

That which is laid up and twisted with the sun, that is to the right hand; the term is opposed to water-laid rope, which is left-handed.

From Project Gutenberg