Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural The water system, including reservoirs, tanks, buildings, pumps, and pipes, that supplies water to a city, town, or other municipality.
  • noun plural A single unit, such as a pumping station, within such a system.
  • noun plural An exhibition of moving water, such as a fountain or cascade.
  • noun plural Informal Tears.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun singular the water supply system of a town etc., including reservoirs, pumps and pipes
  • noun singular any single facility, such as a filtration plant, within such a system
  • noun informal, plural tears
  • noun informal, plural the genitourinary system

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a public utility that provides water
  • noun workplace where water is stored and purified and distributed for a community

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Around two weeks ago the Fidesz-led municipality of Pécs decided to take control of the city's waterworks, which is managed and part-owned by a French company.

    Budapest Times 2009

  • Around two weeks ago the Fidesz-led municipality of Pécs decided to take control of the city's waterworks, which is managed and part-owned by a French company.

    Budapest Times 2009

  • Mitsubishi Electric has received orders from three water plants in the United States for ozone systems to be used in water treatment plants,such as waterworks and sewage.

    Other Stuff - Fareastgizmos.com 2010

  • Construction workers are the ones who develop the housing programs, the ones who build housing for the families, the ones who build the stores, the ones who build libraries, the ones who build other services such as waterworks, sewer systems.

    CASTRO SPEEKS AT MAIN COMMERATION OF BUILDERS DA 1978

  • The social investments which have to increase are housing, solution of problems such as waterworks, sewers and so forth.

    CASTRO'S REMARKS AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SESSION 1978

  • In addition to large increase in attendance during the Aycock administration extensive repairs and improvements in the buildings and the installation of new equipments and utilities, such as waterworks, etc., were made at the University.

    North Carolina Democratic Hand-Book 1906. Prepared by the State Democratic Executive Committee of North Carolina N.C. 1906

  • I have already explained that the first step in the programme of political action adopted by the opponents of private capitalism had been to induce the people to municipalize and nationalize various quasi-public services, such as waterworks, lighting plants, ferries, local railroads, the telegraph and telephone systems, the general railroad system, the coal mines and petroleum production, and the traffic in intoxicating liquors.

    Equality Edward Bellamy 1874

  • An elegant public plaza at one end of the development will erupt in waterworks when a fountain opens this week.

    In Yonkers, Shopping for Shoppers Robbie Whelan 2011

  • But when his waterworks failed to impress, the Belzonis found themselves broke and far from home.

    A Pre-Digital Tomb Raider Gerard Helferich 2011

  • The bottom line is, unless our parting is short and sweet, be prepared for some waterworks.

    Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt » 2010 » April 2010

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