Dew Ponds

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

On the heights of the chalk downs and in other places where there is no visible means of replenishment there are ponds which remain full in the heat of summer when ponds at lower levels dry up.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Dew Ponds” mean?

On the heights of the chalk downs and in other places where there is no visible means of replenishment there are ponds which remain full in the heat of summer when ponds at lower levels dry up.

Is “Dew Ponds” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.