"And her faire deawy eies with kisses deare Shee ofte did bathe" (Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene). "I would these dewy teares were from the ground" (William Shakespeare, Richard III). "Till dewie sleep Oppress'd them" (John Milton, Paradise Lost). "Strengthen me, enlighten me … Thou dewy dawn of memory" (Alfred Tennyson, "Ode to Memory"). Such lines exemplify how the greats have poetically extended the characteristics of dewy grass to misty or crying eyes, as well as to things, like sleep, that affect people gently like forming dew, or to things, like memory, that gradually vanish like a morning's dew. In recent times, the adjective has often been used to describe the luminous complexions of models and starlets—an extension of the "suggestive of dew" meaning. It was not until the 20th century that people began to connect newly formed, undisturbed dew with freshness or purity and, in turn, with innocence and unsophistication.
another version of the story of the dewy small-town youths hoping to make it in the big city
Recent Examples on the WebFor example, people with dry skin — or those looking for a dewy finish — may opt for a liquid or cream blush, the latter of which are known for their emollient properties. Lauren Dana Ellman, Allure, 10 Sep. 2022 This non-greasy moisturizer leaves behind a bright, dewy finish without any streaky white residue while offering invisible, chemical-free sun protection from damaging UVA and UVB radiation. Emerald Elitou, Essence, 11 Aug. 2022 The product gives great coverage with a smooth, dewy finish. Andrea Aguila, Glamour, 28 July 2022 King suggests avoiding mattifying formulations and opting for cream or lotion formulations, which are typically more dewy and moisturizing than powder ones. Casey Clark, SELF, 6 June 2022 This botanical powerhouse locks in moisture after your skin is clean and leaves you with soft, dewy skin. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 May 2022 Her simple pig vulva has become full and dewy, a clean point of expectant flesh. Claire Messud, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 Since then, her beauty style has remained dewy, barely there and all about the skin.ELLE, 24 May 2022 This cream blush, housed in a handy refillable compact, leaves a plush, dewy tint on cheeks and lips in hues from pink to peach and berry. April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 26 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of dewy was before the 12th century