wet (redirected from wetting whistle)

*mad as a hornet and *mad as a wet hen; *mad as hell

very angry. (*Also: as ~. Use hell with caution.) You make me so angry. I'm as mad as a hornet. What you said made Mary mad as a wet hen. Those terrorists make me mad as hell.

See also: hornet, mad

all wet 

1. Lit. completely wet. I fell in and got all wet.

2. Fig. mistaken; wrongheaded; on the wrong track. That's not the correct answer, John. You're all wet. If you think that prices will come down, you're all wet.

get one's feet wet

Fig. to get a little first-time experience with something. (Obvious literal possibilities.) Of course he can't do the job right. He's hardly got his feet wet yet. I'm looking forward to learning to drive. I can't wait to get behind the steering wheel and get my feet wet.

See also: feet, get

get wet

to become moist or soaked with water. Get out of the rain or you'll get wet. Don't get wet, or you'll catch a cold.

See also: get

wet someone or something down

to put water onto someone or something. Mother wet the children down with a hose while she was washing the car. Karen wet down the children with the hose. We wet the new concrete down to help it cure in all the heat.

wet behind the ears and not dry behind the ears; hardly dry behind the ears

Fig. young and inexperienced. John's too young to take on a job like this! He's still wet behind the ears! He may be wet behind the ears, but he's well-trained and totally competent. Tom is going into business by himself? Why, he's hardly dry behind the ears.

See also: behind, ear

wet blanket

Fig. a dull or depressing person who spoils other people's enjoyment. Jack's fun at parties, but his brother's a wet blanket. I was with Anne and she was being a real wet blanket.

See also: blanket

wet one's whistle

Rur. to take a drink. He stopped at the bar to wet his whistle. I don't need a big glass of water. Just enough to wet my whistle.

See also: whistle

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a wet blanket  (informal)

someone who does or says something that stops other people from enjoying themselves I don't want to be a wet blanket, but you really must play your music more quietly or you'll disturb the people next door.

See also: blanket

a wet dream 

1. a sexually exciting dream that makes semen (= thick liquid containing a man's seed) come out of a man's penis while he is sleeping Most boys start getting wet dreams in their early teens.

2. (very informal) something that is very pleasant or very exciting for someone This new machine is a computer buff's wet dream.

See also: dream

be all wet  (American)

to be completely wrong Most doctors agreed that the scientific evidence in the report was simply all wet.

be wet behind the ears

to be young and not very experienced He's fresh out of college, still wet behind the ears.

See also: behind, ear

could talk under water  (Australian informal) also could talk under wet cement (Australian informal)

someone who could talk under water has a lot to say in any situation Most of our guests were very quiet, but Harry could talk under water, so he kept the conversation going.

See also: could, talk, water

get your feet wet  (mainly American)

to experience something for the first time, especially something that involves taking a risk Investors are encouraged to get their feet wet by buying just a few shares to begin with.

See also: feet, get

have a face like a wet weekend  (british informal) also have a face as long as a wet week (australian)

to look very unhappy He's had a face like a wet weekend all day.

See also: face, have, like, weekend

wet your whistle  (old-fashioned)

to have a drink, especially an alcoholic drink You must be thirsty after all that work - would you care to wet your whistle?

See have a face like a wet weekend

See also: whistle

wet the baby's head

to celebrate the birth of a baby by having an alcoholic drink He couldn't wait to get home to wet the baby's head. We bought some champagne to wet the baby's head.

See also: head

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all wet (spoken)

completely wrong Anyone who talks about reducing taxes now is all wet.

get your feet wet

to experience something for the first time If you've never invested money in the stock market, now is the time to get your feet wet.

Usage notes: said especially about something that involves taking a risk

See also: feet, get

wet behind the ears

young and not experienced The job put a lot of responsibility on someone who was still wet behind the ears, but he learned fast.

See also: behind, ear