there must be something in the water

English

WOTD – 2 August 2024

Etymology

From the idea that there is a substance in drinking water which many people have drunk, thus affecting their behaviour.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ðɛə mʌst biː ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɔːtə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ðɛəɹ mʌst bi ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɔtəɹ/, [-ɾəɹ]

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːtə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: there must be some‧thing in the wa‧ter

Phrase

there must be something in the water

1. (idiomatic, humorous) There are so many instances of something unusual, such as in people's behaviour, that there must be a common cause.
   • 2019, “Something in the Water”, performed by Stray from the Path, UNFD:

     Our fathers' fathers / Hand-me-downs / The clip for the rounds / Just squeeze, don't choke / The future weeps in the shadow of the gun smoke / There must be something in the water / There must be something in the water / Over and over and over and over again / Violent men meet violent ends

Translations

there are so many instances of something unusual that there must be a common cause

• Finnish: onkohan vedessä jotain outoa?
• Galician: please add this translation if you can

See also

• in the air