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waterworks

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waterworks¹

  • /ˈwɔːtəˌwəːks/ UK
  • /ˈwɔtɚˌwɚks/ US
  • [-ɾɚ-] US

Where it comes from

From water + works (“machine, mechanism; factory or factories”).

noun waterworks · waterwork · water works · water-works

  1. The water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place, including reservoirs, pipes, and pumps.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. figuratively, informal Rain.
  5. UK, euphemistic, figuratively The genitourinary system.

    Similar: plumbing

  6. historical 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
  7. archaic Engineering works relating to the conveyance and flow of fluids (principally water), such as the collection and distribution of water, drainage, irrigation, etc.

waterworks²

  • /ˈwɔːtəˌwəːks/ UK
  • /ˈwɔtɚˌwɚks/ US
  • [-ɾɚ-] US

Where it comes from

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

noun

  1. plural plural of waterwork

Translations

Every language

noun water supply system of a district, town, city, or other place

한국어수도 sudo
日本語上水道 jōsuidō
Françaisstation de traitement d'eau
DeutschWasserwerk, Wasserkunst, Wasserversorgung
Italianoacquedotto, sistema idrico
العربيةكُلْوَة kulwa, كُلْيَة kulya

noun any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system

Françaissystéme hydraulique
DeutschWasserwerk, Wasseraufbereitungsanlage
Italianosistema idraulico

noun crying or tears, especially in a way that is considered manipulative or over-emotional

Españolllanto
DeutschGeheul, Tränen

noun (historical in English) hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes

DeutschWasserkunst

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MLA

"waterworks." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/waterworks. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

waterworks. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/waterworks

Chicago

"waterworks." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/waterworks.

BibTeX
@misc{waterworks_2026,
  title = {waterworks},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/waterworks},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}