wetness (wetnes)

The state or condition of being wet; also, the capacity for communicating moisture or making wet: as, the wetne of the atmosphere or of steam. The wetne of the working fluid [steam] to which the action of the walls of the cylinder gives rise is e entially Encyc. Brit ., XXIL 488. superficial. wet-nurse (wet'ners), n. A woman employed to suckle the infant of another. Compare dry wet-nurse (wet'ners), v. t. [ nurse. Or is he a mythus - ancient word for "humbug"Such as Livy told about the wolf that wet-nursed Romulus and Remus? O. W. Holmes, Profe or, i. Hence-2. To coddle as a wet-nurse does; treat with the tenderne shown to an infant. The system of wet nursing adopted by the Post Office authorities in the case of the telegraph service has not been one of uniform succe . Elect. Rev. (Eng.), XXVIL. 205. wet-pack (wet'pak), n. A means of reducing the temperature in fever by wrapping the body in cloths wet with cold water, and covering these with a blanket or other dry material. wet-pre (wet' (wet'pres), n. In paper- making, the compacted and partially dried. E. H. Knight. wet1 (wet), v. t.; pret. and pp. wetted or wet, ppr. wetting. [ Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe. Chaucer, Gen. Prol. to C. Т., 1. 129. 2. To moisten with drink; hence, figuratively, to inaugurate or celebrate by a drink or a treat of liquor: as, to wet a new hat. [Slang.] Down came all the company together, and away! the ale-house was immediately filled with clamour, and scoring one mug to the Marquis of such a place, oil and vinegar to such an Earl, three quarts to my new Lord for wet ting his title. Steele , Spectator, No. 88. Then we should have commi ions to wet . C. Shad well, Humours of the Navy, ii. 3. To wet down paper, in printing , to dip paper in water, or sprinkle it in small portions, which are laid together and left under pre ure for a time to allow the moisture to spread equally through the ma . The dampne of the paper fits it for taking the ink readily and evenly in the proce of printing, and prevents it from sticking to the type. The finest printing, however, is done with dry paper, and ink of a suitable quality for such use. To wet one's line. See line2 . I have not yet wetted my line since we met together. 1. Walton , Complete Angler, p. 84. To wet one's whistle. See whistle. - Wetting-out steep. Same as rot's steep (which see, under Wetting the block, among English shoemakers, the second pre in which wet hand-made paper is