"I presume." There is a famous saying about assumptions that applies to you.

Given no knowledge beforehand, "water fast" can mean either of two things:

* You only consume water.

* You consume anything but water.

Both understandings can be inferred at face value, but only one is correct.

I too understood this as the latter before subsequent comments specified it is the former, and the name isn't even accurate since apparently consuming tea or black coffee is also acceptable.

Using as few words as possible is often the hallmark of a talented orator, but sometimes it pays off to be verbose and specific.

Water fasting means only drinking water. A dry fast is no water, no food. An absolute dry fast is no water, no food, no showers. A 24 hour dry fast won't kill a healthy person - but I wouldn't advise it.