Dishwater

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Dirty, soapy water left over after washing dishes ; a thin, weak or tasteless drink such as poorly brewed tea ; something lacking flavor, interest or vitality
2. The grimy, suds-filled liquid used to clean crockery and cutlery ; a watery, flavorless beverage that tastes like little more than water ; a quality that is dull, bland and uninspiring
3. Murky soapy rinse water from the sink ; a feeble, insipid drink with no real taste ; a dreary, lifeless character or lack of spark

Etymology: Dishwater is about as plain as compounds get: it is simply dish plus water, the grey, greasy liquid left in a sink after washing crockery. The sense that has travelled furthest is figurative. Calling something or someone "dishwater" means it is dull, flat or lifeless, as if all the colour had been rinsed out of it. "Dishwater blond" and "dishwater grey" follow the same logic, describing a shade that looks drab and washed-out. The two parts are older than the compound. "Dish" comes from Old English "disc", a plate or serving vessel, and "water" is one of the oldest words in the language. Put together, they describe a literal kitchen by-product, and the metaphor grows naturally out of how that water looks.

Synonyms: greywater, wastewater, slops