(~es, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
If you ~ about or ~ around in water, you hit or disturb the water in a noisy way, causing some of it to fly up into the air.
A lot of people were in the water, swimming or simply ~ing about...
She could hear the voices of her friends as they ~ed in a nearby rock pool...
The gliders and their pilots ~ed into the lake and had to be fished out.
VERB: V about/around , V, V into n
2.
If you ~ a liquid somewhere or if it ~es, it hits someone or something and scatters in a lot of small drops.
He closed his eyes tight, and ~ed the water on his face...
A little wave, the first of many, ~ed in my face...
Beer ~ed the carpet...
Lorries rumbled past them, ~ing them with filthy water from the potholes in the road...
VERB: V n prep, V prep/adv, V n, V n with n
3.
A ~ is the sound made when something hits water or falls into it.
There was a ~ and something fell clumsily into the water.
N-SING
4.
A ~ of a liquid is a small quantity of it that falls on something or is added to something.
Wallcoverings and floors should be able to withstand steam and ~es...
N-COUNT
5.
A ~ of colour is an area of a bright colour which contrasts strongly with the colours around it.
Anne has left the walls white, but added ~es of colour with the tablecloth and the paintings.
N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n
6.
If a magazine or newspaper ~es a story, it prints it in such a way that it is very noticeable.
The newspapers ~ed the story all over their front pages...
VERB: V n
7.
If you make a ~, you become noticed or become popular because of something that you have done.
Now she’s made a ~ in the American television show ‘Civil Wars’.
PHRASE: V inflects