dew Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
    • in the morning the grass was wet with dew

WordNet

Dew noun
Etymology
AS. deáw; akin to D. dauw, G. thau, tau, Icel. dögg, Sw. dagg, Dan. dug; cf. Skr. dhav, dhav, to flow. . Cf. Dag dew.
Definitions
  1. Moisture from the atmosphere condensed by cool bodies upon their surfaces, particularly at night.
    Her tears fell with the dews at even. Tennyson.
  2. Figuratively, anything which falls lightly and in a refreshing manner. "The golden dew of sleep." Shak.
  3. An emblem of morning, or fresh vigor. "The dew of his youth." Longfellow. ✍ Dew is used in combination; as, dew-bespangled, dew-drenched, dewdrop, etc.
Dew transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Dewed ; present participle & verbal noun Dewing
Definitions
  1. To wet with dew or as with dew; to bedew; to moisten; as with dew.
    The grasses grew A little ranker since they dewed them so. A. B. Saxton.
Dew adjective & noun
Definitions
  1. Same as Due, or Duty. Obs. Spenser.

Webster 1913