lavender water

lavender water (countable and uncountable, plural lavender waters)

1. A perfume composed of alcohol, essential oil of lavender, essential oil of bergamot, and essence of ambergris.
   • 1771, Elizabeth Griffith, The History of Lady Barton, London: T. Davies & T. Cadell, Volume 3, Letter 59, p. 30,

     When I had recovered my reason, I had the happiness of finding my brother and Delia sitting by me, and my champion kneeling before me, and pouring lavender water on my hands and face, with a look of such tender solicitude, as if his life depended upon mine.

   • 1808, Sydney Smith, “Indian Missions” in The Edinburgh Review, Volume 12, Number 23, April 1808, p. 175,

     […] as they perceived some more signs of life than were at first apparent, a young Englishman poured down his throat the greatest part of a bottle of lavender-water, which he happened to have in his pocket. The effects of such a stimulus, applied to a stomach accustomed to nothing stronger than water, were instantaneous and powerful.

   • 1863, Louisa May Alcott, Hospital Sketches, Boston: James Redpath, Chapter 3, p. 33,

     The first thing I met was a regiment of the vilest odors that ever assaulted the human nose, and took it by storm. Cologne, with its seven and seventy evil savors, was a posy-bed to it; and the worst of this affliction was, every one had assured me that it was a chronic weakness of all hospitals, and I must bear it. I did, armed with lavender water, with which I so besprinkled myself and premises, that […] I was soon known among my patients as “the nurse with the bottle.”

   • 1933, Ethel Lina White, Some Must Watch, Chapter 5,

     The tide of her curiosity was running strongly when, at long last, she entered the blue room. It was a huge, handsome apartment, furnished with a massive mahogany suite, made sombre by reason of the prevailing dark blue colour of the walls, carpet and curtains. A dull red fire glowed in the steel grate. Although its closeness was mitigated with lavender-water, the atmosphere smelt faintly of rotten apples.