husband's tea

English

Etymology

From the idea that a selfish housewife might drink all the tea before her husband returns from work, and refill the pot with water.

Pronunciation

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Noun

husband's tea (uncountable)

1. (slang, archaic) Very weak (dilute) tea.

   Synonym: water bewitched

   • 1851, Ann Jane, The Mothers' friend, ed. by Ann Jane, page 169:

     "WELL, I never! Mrs. Morris, why how poor the tea has got all at once! Why, sure enough, it is as bad as husband's tea now!"

   • 1875, Saturday Review: Politics, Literature, Science and Art, page 442:

     Some take their tea so hot that its flavour, if it had any, would be lost upon them, and many take it so weak that it can have no flavour in particular. We have also heard of "husband's tea," which sufficiently explains itself.

   • 1884, Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener and Home Farmer, page 353:

     As soon as active growth has commenced weak liquid manure may be given; the draining from a cowshed diluted to the colour of "husband's" tea is good, but that should be discontinued when the blooms show colour.

Antonyms

• builder's tea

Related terms

• weak tea (figurative)
• white tea (hot water as hot beverage)

References

• John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary