Dictionary

watertight en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈwɔː.tə.taɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈwɔː.tɚ.taɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈwɑː.tɚ.taɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Germanic *watōr Proto-West Germanic *watar Old English wæter Middle English water English water English tight English watertight From water + tight. Compare Scots wattirticht (“watertight”), West Frisian wetterticht (“waterproof”), Dutch waterdicht (“waterproof, watertight”), German wasserdicht (“watertight, waterproof”), Danish vandtæt (“watertight”), Swedish vattentät (“watertight, waterproof”).

Meanings

1. So tightly made that water cannot enter or escape.
   • What a day, eh? Demmy, it's like the commencement of the rainy season in Bengal. But you'll find my carriage is watertight. Come along, my mother and Emmy are in the vestry. 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
   • There is no reference to rough weather, and, indeed, the state of the vessel’s paint and rigging excludes the idea that she was abandoned for any such reason. She is perfectly watertight. 1890 March 6, Arthur Conan Doyle, “J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement”, in The Captain of the Polestar and Other Tales, Longmans, Green & Co:
2. (figuratively) So devised or planned as to be impossible to defeat, evade or nullify.
   • a watertight alibi
   • a watertight regulation
   • While the Nationwide League suffer the consequences of not having negotiated a watertight agreement with ITV Digital, the Premier League can be excused a smug smile of satisfaction over the deal they struck with the fallen digital company. 2002 July 21, Jon Henderson, “Watertight deal saves League”, in The Observer:
   • What if England's defence is finally examined to the full by class opposition at the Euros? Can this rearguard be trusted to remain watertight and protect what a high-quality attack can give them? 2021 March 31, Phil McNulty, “England 2-1 Poland: What shape are Gareth Southgate's side in?”, in BBC Sport:
   • a watertight contract
   • David Cameron has said his EU deal will be legally binding and watertight, after a senior European politician claimed countries could simply undo it after the UK voted to remain in the union. 2016 February 5, Rowena Mason, “David Cameron: EU deal will be legally binding”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

Deriveds

watertightness · nonwatertight

Relateds

driptight · joint-tight · gastight · draughttight · cold-tight · leak-tight · soiltight · leaktight · weathertight · hold water · coldtight · heattight · pressuretight · weather-tight · heat-tight · sandtight · air-tight · airtight · dust-tight · liquid-tight · oil-tight · soil-tight · draught-tight · drip-tight · pressure-tight · raintight · draft-tight · oiltight · light-tight · dusttight · rain-tight · jointtight · drafttight · liquidtight · sand-tight · lighttight · gas-tight

Synonyms

waterfast · impermeable · waterproof · impervious

Translations (55)

be воданепраніка́льны (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · ja 水密の (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · it impermeabile (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · es sin fisuras (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · uk водонепроникни́й (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · bg водонепроницаем (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · es estanco (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · de wasserdicht (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · cmn 防水的 (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · ja 水を通さない (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · nb vanntett (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · ru водонепроница́емый (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · pl niezbity (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · pt impermeável (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · it a tenuta stagna (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · es hermético (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · bg железен (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · ga uisce-obach (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · gl estanco (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · fi vedenpitävä (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · ga uiscedhíonach (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · nn vasstett (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · ca estanc (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · ru непромока́емый (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · nl waterdicht (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · fi aukoton (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · mi pihi (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · nb vasstett (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · grc στεγανός (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · de wasserdicht (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · pl nieprzemakalny (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · cs vodotěsný (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · fi vedenpitävä (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · da vandtæt (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · pl niekwestionowany (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · ru непробива́емый (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · cmn 水密的 (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · fr étanche (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · ru гермети́чный (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · hu vízhatlan (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · mi whakapiri (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · pl wodoszczelny (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · uk гермети́чний (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · bg херметичен (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · fi vesitiivis (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · el στεγανός (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · es a toda prueba (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · sh водонепропусан (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · be герметы́чны (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · sh vodonepropusan (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · el υδατοστεγής (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · bg неопровержим (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · pl niepodważalny (impossible to defeat, evade or nullify) · lb waasserdicht (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape) · sv vattentät (so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape)