[f. WATER sb. + SHOOT sb.]
† 1. [= Flem. waterscheute, -schote (Kilian, De Bo).] A sucker growing from the root of a tree. Cf. WATER-BOUGH. Obs.
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 140/1. Stolones,… water-shootes: young shoots or sciences that growe out of the rootes or sides of the stocke, and proue not.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XVII. xx. I. 525. Those superfluous water-shoots that spring out either from the root or the sides of the tree.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 84/2. The Water shoots, or suckers, are twigs that grow from the roots of trees.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, II. 136. And if any strong wood or water-shoots push from the apricot or peach tree, except they serve to fill up a vacancy, they ought to be taken off.
2. † a. Outflow of drainage water from land; water carried off by drainage. Obs. b. A gutter or channel for the overflow of water.
a. 1625. G. Markham, Inrichment Weald Kent, 11. It is good also to draw a crosse or quarter Furrow, and opening the ends of all your land Furrowes into it, to leaue the other ends of your Furrowes stopped, that the water-shoot runne not all the length of the field.
1639. Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl., vii. Fens (bogs, marishes) are raising springs or quits, that run not (have no water-shoot).
1707–21. Mortimer, Husb., II. 207. The Drips of the Houses, the Water of the declining Walks, and the Water-shoots of other adjacent Lands, which may be reserved in Cisterns or Ponds so as to be of use.
b. 1819. Nicholson, Dict. Archit., 802. Water Shoot, a wooden trough for discharging rain water from a building.
1825. Beverley Lighting Act, ii. 22. A gutter or water-shoot.
1834. Beckford, Italy, II. 182. A transparent, gurgling rill, which is conducted through a rustic water-shoot.
1869. Blackmore, Lorna D., x. The bark from the wood-ricks [being] washed down the gutters, and even our water-shoot going brown.
† 3. A waterfall, cascade. Obs.
1738. [G. Smith], Cur. Relat., II. 273. Near the City Hoeicheu flows the River Singan, which has at least 360 Water-shoots falling into it between Rocks and Mountains.
4. An artificial cascade contrived for the amusement or exercise of ‘shooting the rapids’ in a boat or by swimming. Also water-chute: see WATER sb. 29.
1900. Elinor Glyn, Visits Elizabeth, 26. In the evening Uncle Geoffrey took us to the Exhibition to go down in the Water Shoot.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 21 Oct., 2/1. A water-shoot, a swimming mistress in attendance—yet, all last winter I had the whole thing practically to myself!
