See if it holds water

Posted by Smokey Stover on June 30, 2006

In Reply to: See it it holds water posted by ESC on June 29, 2006

: : Where does the expression "see it it holds water" come from? Its the "hold water" part I'm interested in.

: Something that is full of holes will not hold water. The water will leak out. But if something is solid it will hold water.

So, by transference, an argument which is solid (well-constructed, dependable) will hold water, but if your reasoning is full of holes, it will not hold water, but be like a sieve.
SS