moist
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /mɔɪst/
rhymes: -ɔɪst
Forms: form: moister
form: more moist
form: moistest
form: most moist
Etymology: The adjective is derived from Middle English moist, moiste [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman moist, moiste, moste, Middle French moiste, and Old French moiste, muste (“damp, moist, wet”) (modern French moite); further etymology uncertain, perhaps a blend of a Late Latin variant of Latin mūcidus (“mouldy, musty”) + a Late Latin derivative of Latin mustum (“unfermented or partially fermented grape juice or wine, must”).
The noun is derived from the adjective.
Senses: examples: text: Will theſe moyſt Trees,
That haue out-liu'd the Eagle, page thy heeles
And skip when thou point'ſt out?
ref: c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 92, column 2:
text: And [the Angel of the Lord] made the mids of the fornace, as it had bene a moiſt whiſtling wind, ſo that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Prayer of Azariah, verse 26, column 1:
text: [Y]et the North-ſide [of the pyramids of Giza] moſt worne, by reaſon of the humiditie of the Northerne wind, which here is the moiſteſt.
ref: 1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “Relations of Africa, Taken Out of Master George Sandys His Larger Discourse Obserued in His Iourney, Begun Ann. 1610. Lib. 2.”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 2nd part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 6th book, § III (The Pyramides Viewed, Sphynx and Other Antiquities. Iourney from Cairo to Gaza.), page 908:
text: [W]e ſee Swines and Pigs Fleſh is the Moiſteſt of Fleſhes.
ref: 1631, Francis [Bacon], “V. Century. [Experiments in Consort, Touching the Melioration of Fruits, Trees, and Plants.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 465, page 117:
text: Whilſt thee the ſhores, and ſounding Seas
Waſh far away, where ere thy bones are hurld,
Whether beyond the ſtormy Hebrides,
Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide
Viſit'ſt the bottom of the monſtrous world;
Or whether thou to our moiſt vows deny'd,
Sleep'ſt by the fable of Bellerus old, […]
ref: 1637, John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 63:
text: [T]he Winds
Blow moiſt and keen, ſhattering the graceful locks
Of theſe fair ſpreading Trees; […]
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1065–1066:
text: After every watering, which need not be above twice or thrice in every Summer, ſo they may be thoroughly wet, be ſure to make up the Hills, wherein holes for the water had been made, with ſome parings, and with the weeds, and cooleſt and moiſteſt Materials that can be got.
ref: 1704, Nathan Bailey, “HOP”, in Dictionarium Rusticum & Urbanicum: Or, A Dictionary of All Sorts of Country Affairs, Handicraft, Trading, and Merchandizing. […], London: […] J. Nicholson, […], →OCLC, column 1:
text: Nor was it that the figs were moist and pulpy, or that the French plums blushed in modest tartness from their highly-decorated boxes,[…]: but the customers were all so hurried and so eager in the hopeful promise of the day, that they tumbled up against each other at the door, […]
ref: 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, pages 83–84:
text: Joseph Smith, a diffident, conscientious young man with moist hands and an awkward, absent-minded manner, was head gardener at Wotton Vanborough.
ref: 1937 November 1, “Books: Modernist Miracle: The Gardener Who Saw God—Edward James—Scribner ($2.50) [book review]”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2021:
text: 'The other car didn't explode,' continues Abu Shujaa. 'The explosives were a bit moist. They had been stored in a place that was too humid.[…]'
ref: 2011, Dominic Streatfeild, “Stuff Happens”, in A History of the World since 9/11, London: Atlantic Books, →ISBN, page 192:
synonyms: word: moisty
word: bewatered
word: damp
word: drenched
word: dripping
word: drunk
word: humid
word: irriguous
word: madid
word: moist
word: moisty
word: overwatered
word: plashy
word: saturated
word: soaked
word: sodden
word: soggy
word: spewy
word: spongy
word: squidgy
word: thoan
word: thone
word: undried
word: watered
word: waterlogged
word: watery
word: wet
word: wetter than an otter's pocket
word: wiery
antonyms: word: unmoist
word: wet
glosses: Characterized by the presence of moisture; not dry; slightly wet; damp.
examples: text: [H]aue you not a moiſt eie, a dry hand, a yelow cheeke, a white beard, a decreaſing leg, an increaſing belly? […] and will you yet call your ſelfe yong? fie, fie, fie, ſir Iohn.
ref: c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
text: Come, the other are conſiderations, when wee come to haue gray heads, and weake hammes, moiſt eyes, and ſhrunke members. Wee'll thinke on 'hem then; then wee'll pray, and faſt.
ref: 1609 December (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Epicoene, or The Silent Woman. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 531:
text: And on the banner which stood near
He glanced a look of holy pride,
And his moist eyes were glorified; […]
ref: a. 1851, William Wordsworth, “The White Doe of Rylstone”, in Henry [Hope] Reed, editor, The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Philadelphia, Pa.: Hayes & Zell, […], published 1860, →OCLC, canto II, page 332, column 2:
text: At this the tender sound of his own voice
And sweet self-pity, or the fancy of it,
Made his eye moist; but Enid fear'd his eyes,
Moist as they were, wine-heated from the feast; […]
ref: 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 64:
text: Eyes moist, he [Maurice Stans] hugged one of his attorneys and later said: "I feel like I've been reborn."
ref: 1974 December 6, “Trials: Mitchell and Stans: Not Guilty”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2021:
synonyms: dewy-eyed
misty
teary
weepy
wet
glosses: Of eyes: wet with tears; tearful; also (obsolete), watery due to some illness or to old age.
examples: text: Ye Swains, invoke the Pow'rs who rule the Sky,
For a moiſt Summer, and a Winter dry:
For Winter drout rewards the Peaſant's Pain,
And broods indulgent on the bury'd Grain.
ref: 1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 53, lines 145–146:
text: [I]n the year 1752, which we may reckon among ſome of our moiſteſt Summers throughout England, more Rain fell at London than at Plymouth, according to an eſtimate made at both places; […]
ref: 1758, William Borlase, “Of the Air, and Weather”, in The Natural History of Cornwall. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [F]or the author, by W. Jackson; sold by W. Sandby, […], →OCLC, page 6:
text: The time is early in the evening; the weather moist and raw.
ref: 1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, “Mr. Wegg Looks after Himself”, in Our Mutual Friend. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC, book the first (The Cup and the Lip), page 58:
text: With its mild, moist climate, Britain is uniquely placed to grow good grass. Through the centuries pastures have produced many of our basic foods including our beef and lamb; our poultry and eggs; our milk[,] butter and cheese.
ref: 2008 September 8, Graham Harvey, “Steaks are high”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Mar 2021:
synonyms: word: dank
word: close
word: heavy
word: muggy
word: oppressive
word: steamy
word: sticky
word: sultry
word: sweltering
word: tropic
word: tropical
glosses: Of a climate, the weather, etc.: damp, humid, rainy.
examples: text: He slid a finger in me, checking to make sure I was moist and ready for him.
ref: 2008, Marcia King-Gamble, chapter 14, in Meet Phoenix (Kimani Romance), New York, N.Y.: Kimani Press, →ISBN, page 168:
synonyms: wet
glosses: Of the vagina: sexually lubricated due to sexual arousal; of a woman: sexually aroused, turned on.
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Characterized by the presence of some fluid such as mucus, pus, etc.
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Of sounds of internal organs (especially as heard through a stethoscope): characterized by the sound of air bubbling through a fluid.
examples: text: [T]he moiſt ſtarre,
Vpon whoſe influence Neptunes Empier ſtands,
Was ſicke almoſt to doomeſday with eclipſe, […]
ref: c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
text: […] Ergo it behooveth then, that the firſt age, and the firſt ſeaſon of things ſhould beginne in the moiſteſt Signe, which is Aries, and in his head, as the principall of the Members, the Fortreſſe of the Soule, and the Signe of Life.
ref: 1621, William of Saluste, Lord of Bartus [i.e., Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas], “The Fourth Day of the First VVeeke of VVilliam of Salust, Lord of Bartas”, in T. L. D. M. P. [pseudonym; Thomas Lodge], transl., A Learned Summary upon the Famous Poeme of William of Saluste Lord of Bartus. […], London: […] [George Purslowe] for Iohn Grismand […], →OCLC, page 169:
text: Pituita, or Fleagme, is a cold and moiſt humour, begotten of the colder part of the Chylus, (or white iuyce comming of the meat digeſted in the ſtomacke) in the Liuer, his office is to nouriſh, and moiſten the members of the body, which as the tongue, are moued, that they be no ouer-drye.
ref: 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Division of the Body. Humours, Spirits.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 1, member 2, subsection 2, page 13:
text: He [Aristotle] made four Elements; the firſt, cold and dry; the ſecond, cold and moiſt; the third, hot and moiſt; and the fourth, hot and dry. […] And Water, being the coldeſt and moiſteſt of all Things, he call'd his ſecond Element, Water.
ref: 1728, E[phraim] Chambers, “ELEMENTS”, in Cyclopædia: Or, An Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; […] In Two Volumes, volumes I (A–H), London: […] James and John Knapton [et al.], →OCLC, page 288, column 2:
text: They [fish] are cold and moiſt, and muſt needs, ſay they, produce juices of the ſame kind, and conſequently are improper to ſtrengthen the body. In this diverſity of opinion, it is the wiſest way to eat our fiſh in the ordinary manner, and pay no great attention to cooks or doctors.
ref: 1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of Fish in General”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume VI, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, part I (The Cetaceous Kind), pages 165–166:
text: Neither did the live coals, which were lying about in plenty, burn him; for, being a water-baby, his radical humours were of a moist and cold nature, […]
ref: 1862 August – 1863 March, Charles Kingsley, chapter VIII, in The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby, London; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., published 1863, →OCLC, page 330:
topics: sciences
glosses: Pertaining to one of the four essential qualities formerly believed to be present in all things, characterized by wetness; also, having a significant amount of this quality.
examples: text: O pardon me, my liege, but for my teares,
The moiſt impediments vnto my ſpeech,
I had foreſtald this deere and deep rebuke, […]
ref: c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
text: For the chief, he in whom Pallas pour'd
Her store of counsels, Ithacus, aboard went last, and then
The moist ways of the sea they sail'd.
ref: [1611?], Homer, “Book I”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC, page 35:
text: Some being of the opinion of Thales, that water was the originall of all things, thought it most equall to ſubmit unto the principle of putrefaction, and conclude in a moiſt relentment.
ref: 1658, Thomas Browne, “Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall. […]. Chapter I”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, pages 5–6:
synonyms: word: liquidlike
word: fluent
word: fluid
word: fluidal
word: fluidic
word: fluidical
word: liquid
word: liquidlike
word: moist
glosses: Fluid, liquid, watery.
examples: text: And the moiſt daughters of huge Atlas ſtroue
Into the Ocean deepe to driue their weary droue.
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 57, page 407:
text: Ere twice in murke and occidentall dampe
Moiſt Heſperus hath quench'd her ſleepy Lampe: […]
ref: c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 236, column 1:
text: Nor yet, when moiſt Arcturus clouds the sky,
The woods and fields their pleaſing toils deny.
ref: 1713, [Alexander] Pope, Windsor-Forest. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 56:
glosses: Bringing moisture or rain.
Derived terms: word: moist-adiabatic
word: moisten
word: moistened
word: moistener
word: moistening
word: moistful
word: moistify
word: moistish
word: moistly
word: moist media
word: moist moment
word: moistness
word: moist tetter
word: moist towelette
word: moisty
word: overmoist
word: overmoisten
word: semimoist
word: supermoist
word: ultramoist
word: unmoist
word: unmoistenable
word: unmoistened
Related terms: word: moisture
word: moistured
word: moistureless
word: moistureproof
word: moistureproofing
word: moisturised
word: moisturized
word: moisturise
word: moisturize
word: moisturiser
word: moisturizer
word: moisturising
word: moisturizing
word: nonmoisturizing
word: unmoisturized