of the first water
Preserved but no longer current.
Of the highest type; very excellent. See DIAMOND. Smooth, or still, waters run deep. Deep thinkers are persons of few words; he (or she) thinks a good deal more than is suspected; silent conspirators are the most dangerous; barking dogs do not bite. A calm exterior is far more to be feared than a tongue-doughty Bobadil.
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 “of the first water” mean?
Of the highest type; very excellent. See DIAMOND. Smooth, or still, waters run deep. Deep thinkers are persons of few words; he (or she) thinks a good deal more than is suspected; silent conspirators are the most dangerous; barking dogs do not bite. A calm exterior is far more to be feared than a tongue-doughty Bobadil.
Is “of the first water” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.