Dew

noun JOO dʒuː

Also spelled dew, jew, night dew

The moisture that settles on the grass, leaves, and ground overnight — the 'dew' or 'night dew'. In Jamaican folk belief the night dew is unhealthy, thought to give you a cold, chill, or 'catarrh' if you stay out in it or let it fall on your head, so children are called in and warned not to let the dew catch them. Dew is also gathered in old remedies and beauty lore, and its cool fall marks the turn of the night.

  • Come inna di house, di dew a fall.

    Come into the house, the night dew is falling.

  • Nuh mek di dew ketch yuh, yuh get cold.

    Don't let the dew catch you, you'll catch a cold.

  • Di grass wet wid dew inna di mawnin.

    The grass is wet with dew in the morning.

From English 'dew' (pronounced 'jew'); overnight moisture, folk-believed harmful. See [[cold-catch]], [[fog]].

Overnight dew; folk-believed to cause colds/chills ('night dew'). See [[cold-catch]], [[fog]].