Waterworks Meaning
/ˈwɔːtəˌwəːks/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place, including reservoirs, pipes, and pumps.
nounAny single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system.
Sentence Examples
The waterworks is located not far from my home.
She turned on the waterworks when we told her the old man was dead, but she was asking questions about the will soon enough.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The city's well-maintained ____ provide clean drinking water to all residents.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The city is upgrading its ____ to ensure that everyone has access to clean and safe drinking water today.
Word Origin & History
From water + works (“machine, mechanism; factory or factories”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The city's well-maintained ____ provide clean drinking water to all residents.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The city is upgrading its ____ to ensure that everyone has access to clean and safe drinking water today.