> as lemmas

1624 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy (ed. 2) ii. ii. i. ii. 204 I reprehend it not moderately vsed, but to some men nothing can be more offensiue, they had better powre so much water in their shooes.

1641 H. Peacham Worth of Peny 12 The hanging on and intrusion of some necessitous parasites, of whom they shall finde as much use as of water in their bootes.

1645 T. Shepard Sound Beleever 250 The simplicity of the Gospell is as water in mens shoes; Ministers must preach novelties.

1732 T. Fuller Gnomologia 28 As welcome as Water in one's Shoes.

a1734 R. North Life F. North (1742) 151 They caressed his Lordship very much as a new Comer,..and talked about a Time to dine with him; all which (as they say) was Water in his Shoes.

1824 Compl. Hist. Murder Mr. Weare App. 231 The organ of destructiveness was not at all prominent or developed. This was ‘water in the shoes’ of the phrenologists.

1871 H. B. Stowe My Wife & I v. 45 You don't need either tobacco or spirits any more than you need water in your shoes.

1958 Anderson (Indiana) Herald 24 May 8 You need the friendship of those girls like you need water in your shoes!

1981 Sun (Baltimore) 22 Mar. k1/1 As my mother-in-law would put it, I need additional costly legal challenges like I need ‘water in my shoes’.