waterworks en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈwɔːtəˌwəːks/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
- /ˈwɔtɚˌwɚks/ (General-American)
- [-ɾɚ-] (General-American)
- (Received-Pronunciation) audio
Etymology
From water + works (“machine, mechanism; factory or factories”).
Meanings
- The water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place, including reservoirs, pipes, and pumps.
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(qualifier:treated as singular) Any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system.
She is employed by a waterworks at the outskirts of the city.
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(figuratively, informal) Often in the form turn on the waterworks: crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional.
She turned on the waterworks when we told her the old man was dead, but she was asking questions about the will soon enough.
- (figuratively, informal) Rain.
- (UK, euphemistic, figuratively) The genitourinary system.
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(historical, qualifier:treated as singular) A hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes; also, an ornamental fountain or waterfall.
Resolving to possess myself in some quiet if it might be, in a time of so great jealosy, I built by my Brother's permission a study, made a fishpond, an island, and some other solitudes and retirements, at Wotton, which gave the first occasion of improving them to those water-works and gardens which afterwards succeeded them.
1643 May 11 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 2 May 1643]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, page 30:
- (archaic) Engineering works relating to the conveyance and flow of fluids (principally water), such as the collection and distribution of water, drainage, irrigation, etc.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| water-works | alternative | lexicographic | |
| waterwork | alternative | lexicographic | |
| waterworks | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| water works | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
Hypernyms
Synonyms
Translations (50)
de Geheul (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · hu szökőkút ((historical in English) hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes) · fi vesilaitos (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · mk водовод (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · da vandforsyning (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · de Tränen (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · it sistema idrico (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · nb vannverk (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · hu zokogás (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · fr systéme hydraulique (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · hu vízhálózat (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · sv vattenverk (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · ka წყალმომარაგება (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · fi vesirakennustyö ((archaic in English) engineering works relating to the conveyance and flow of fluids (principally water)) · it acquedotto (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · ka წყალმომარაგების სადგური (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · nl waterwerk ((archaic in English) engineering works relating to the conveyance and flow of fluids (principally water)) · fr station de traitement d'eau (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · sh vȍdovōd (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · ar كُلْيَة (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · fi vesirakennustyö (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · nb vassverk (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · de Wasserwerk (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · hu vízművek (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · it sistema idraulico (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · de Wasserkunst ((historical in English) hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes) · nl waterleiding (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · es llanto (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · mk водоснабдување (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · ka წყალმომარაგების სისტემა (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · nn vassverk (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · fi vesilaitos (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · ar كُلْوَة (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · ko 수도 (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · th ประปา (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · hu vízmű (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · hu vízellátó hálózat (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · bg водоснабдяване (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · de Wasserversorgung (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · de Wasserkunst (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · hu vízesés ((historical in English) hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes) · ja 上水道 (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · de Wasseraufbereitungsanlage (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · de Wasserwerk (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · da vandværk (any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system) · hu pityergés (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · hu sírás (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · cs vodovod (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place) · hu bőgés (crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional) · sh во̏дово̄д (water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place)