Walking through water or another liquid that reaches partway up the legs. Moving through something with difficulty or effort.
From Old English 'wadan' meaning 'to go, proceed, walk through.' Related to Latin 'vadere' (to go) and Germanic roots. The specific sense of walking through water developed from the general meaning of moving forward with effort.
Wading perfectly captures the human relationship with water as both barrier and pathway. Many cultures have rituals involving wading - from baptism to river crossings - because there's something profound about voluntarily entering an element that could support or swallow us.
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