moistenv.
/ˈmɔɪsn/, U.S. /ˈmɔɪsn/ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > capacity for emotion > sensitiveness or tenderness > make (more) sensitive or tender [verb (transitive)] > specifically of the heart
moistc1390
tender1390
woke1393
asoftc1430
supply1534
dulce1558
entender1591
douce1593
unstone1594
moisten?a1661
1549 W. Baldwin Canticles of Salomon iv. xxxiii sig. Fiv Thou my spouse of gardeyns art a wel, Thy dewie fayth doth moysten euery coost.
?1585 W. C. Aduentures Ladie Egeria sig. B Whether it be false fetches of deceiuable flatterers or..their hearts moystened with venomed practises of stubborne will.
?a1661 T. Fuller in Webster's Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. (1864) (at cited word) It moistened not his executioner's heart with any pity.
2.
a. transitive. To make moist, damp, or wet; to wet superficially or moderately. Also †intransitive (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > make wet [verb (transitive)]
weta950
bathec1000
drenchc1230
blotenc1325
danka1350
anointa1375
moista1382
beshed1382
moil?a1425
madefy?1440
arrouse1480
moisturea1500
humect1531
intinct1547
moisten1559
rinse1579
inebriate1610
irrigate1615
slocken1627
irriguate1632
humectate1640
madidate1656
slake1810
1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 133 Lay the moyst cloth to the place, and as oft as it dryeth, moysten it again.
1582 S. Batman Vppon Bartholome, De Proprietatibus Rerum 489 Noble riuers, the Rine and Danubius,..and many other, that runne by Fraunce, that moisten the Countreyes all about.
1610 G. Markham Maister-peece ii. clxxiii. 483 It looseth and scattereth humors, warmeth and moisteneth.
1611 Bible (King James) Job xxi. 24 His breasts are full of milke, and his bones are moistened with marrow. View more context for this quotation
a1680 S. Charnock Two Disc. (1699) 29 Water cannot but moisten, Fire cannot but burn.
1727 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Oeconomique (Dublin ed.) at Apricock Moisten them [sc. apricots] with a Spoonful of Water or Vinegar.
1758 S. Johnson Idler 5 Aug. 137 Shower has succeeded shower..and many curls have been moistened to flaccidity.
1823 C. Lamb Grace before Meat in Elia 211 The savoury soup and messes steaming up the nostrils, and moistening the lips of the guests with desire.
1850 O. Winslow Inner Life iii. 88 No tears of repentance have ever moistened the eyes.
1922 ‘R. Crompton’ More William (1924) xi. 194 He moistened his lips. ‘This is an outrage,’ he spluttered.
1989 Scotl. on Sunday 28 May 2 There are unlikely to be enough showers significantly to moisten those areas which missed last week's thunderstorms and still have high fire risk conditions.
b. transitive. spec. To wet (the lips, throat, etc.) with drink; to provide with refreshment in the form of drink. Also intransitive (occasionally with up): to have a drink. Cf. moist v. 4b.Occasionally humorous, or with ironic understatement in sense ‘to become drunk’.to moisten one's clay: see clay n. 4b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > slake thirst
moistc1400
moisten1567
slack1631
1567 W. Painter Palace of Pleasure II. xxxi. f. 388v Cause a glasse of water to be brought vnto me, yt I may moisten my mouth.
1603 tr. Batchelars Banquet iii. sig. B4v The cups of wine haue..halfe a dosen times moystned their lips with the sweet ioyce of the purpled grape.
1662 M. W. Marriage Broaker i. iii. 15 There is that, Will moisten his mouth too, something to purge His melancholy, and make the heart dance.
1741 tr. Marquis d'Argens Chinese Lett. xl. 313 This same Priest..takes care to moisten his Prayers by drinking every now and then a large Glass of Wine.
1796 G. Brewer Bannian Day I. ii. 8 To moisten my eye, Mister purser, says I, Pray where's my allowance of grog?
a1822 P. B. Shelley Cyclops in Posthumous Poems (1824) 355 If you drink much after a mighty feast, Moistening your thirsty maw, you will sleep well.
1837 B. D. Walsh tr. Aristophanes Knights i. iii, in Comedies 185 [He] should moisten his gulletpipe free at her Expense.
1851 Alta California (San Francisco) 10 Aug. 2/1 With his usual generous courtesy, ‘Come, gents, let us moisten.’
1863 ‘E. Kirke’ My Southern Friends iii. 46 You shall ‘moisten up’ at the doctor's.
1897 L. Binyon Supper 11 Moisten your mouth then, ere you begin. I pledge you, friends. Your health!
1969 J. Wainwright Take-over Men vi. 92 He swirled the wine in his glass,..moistened his lips with it,..then said: ‘Graves, I think.’..‘No. I rather think Pomerol.’
1983 D. Clifford Affair of Forest xi. 90 He had been able to moisten his throat at the clear streams of water which crossed the track.
3. intransitive. To become moist. Of an eye: to fill with tears.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > condition of being slightly wet > be or become slightly wet [verb (intransitive)] > become slightly wet
undryc1440
dank1590
dew1658
dampen1686
moisten1755
bemoisten1821
1755 H. Walpole Let. 19 Oct. (1840) III. 161 I have told you what I think ought to sluice my public eye; and your private eye too will moisten, when I tell you [etc.]
1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 73 Nor let her..blue eye Moisten, till she had lighted on his wound.
1880 G. Meredith Tragic Comedians I. v. 87 The burning eyes of her Indian Bacchus fixed on her till their brightness moistened and flashed.
1988 G. Swift Out of this World 30 He held Sophie for the very first time—and I saw him smile and his eyes moisten.
1997 Prevention (Electronic ed.) 1 Feb. 138 Your heart quickens. Your lips moisten. You feel the flush of excitement.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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