there must be something in the water

• there is something in the water

From the idea that there is a substance in drinking water which many people have drunk, thus affecting their behavior.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ðɛə mʌst biː ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɔːtə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ðɛəɹ mʌst bi ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɔtəɹ/, [-ɾəɹ]

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːtə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: there must be some‧thing in the wa‧ter

there must be something in the water

1. (idiomatic, humorous) There are so many instances of something unusual, such as in people's behavior, that there must be a common cause.
   • 2019, “Something in the Water”, performed by Stray from the Path, UNFD:

     Our fathers' fathers / Hand-me-downs / The clip for the rounds / Just squeeze, don't choke / The future weeps in the shadow of the gun smoke / There must be something in the water / There must be something in the water / Over and over and over and over again / Violent men meet violent ends

• in the air