Definition of "water-spaniel" [water-spaniel]

• The name given to two varieties of the dog called spaniel, namely, the large water-spaniel and the small water-spaniel. See spaniel, 1. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel; which is much in a bare Christian."
• "The poor little water-spaniel fort ran down to the shore and barked at her of course."
• "The sense of humor must surely exist in individual dogs; otherwise it would puzzle me to account for the singular practical jokes played off by a water-spaniel once possessed by me."