SEWER Definition & Meaning

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sewer

[ soo-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an artificial conduit, usually underground, for carrying off waste water and refuse, as in a town or city.

verb (used with object)

to provide or equip with sewers:
a tax increase necessary to sewer the neighborhood.

sewer

[ soh-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a person or thing that sews.

sewer

[ soo-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a former household officer or head servant in charge of the service of the table.

sewer

/ ˈ��ːə /

noun

a drain or pipe, esp one that is underground, used to carry away surface water or sewage

verb

tr to provide with sewers

sewer

/ ˈ��əʊə /

noun

a person or thing that sews

sewer

/ ˈ��ːə /

noun

(in medieval England) a servant of high rank in charge of the serving of meals and the seating of guests

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

��İ�·�� adjective
��İ�·�� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of sewer¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English suer(e) “drainage ditch,” from dialectal Old French se(u)wiere “overflow channel, pond sluice” (compare Old French ess(e)ouer(e) “ditch”), from unrecorded Vulgar Latin ��油�� “drain for carrying water off,” equivalent to Latin ex- “out of, away” + �� “pertaining to water” (feminine singular of ��ܲ� ); -ary ( def ), -er ², sew ²

Origin of sewer²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English sewer(e), souere, sower; sew ¹, -er ¹

Origin of sewer³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English sever(e), sewerer “attendant who served or tasted his master's food,” shortened form of Anglo-French asseour “one who sets the table, seater,” equivalent to Old French asse(oir) “to seat” (from Latin ��ŧ�� “to attend upon”) + -our; assiduous, -or ² )

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of sewer¹

C15: from Old French esseveur, from essever to drain, from Vulgar Latin ��油�� (unattested), from Latin ex- ¹+ aqua water

Origin of sewer²

C14: shortened from Anglo-French asseour, from Old French asseoir to cause to sit, from Latin ��ŧ��, from ��ŧ�� to sit

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

When the rats come up from the sewers, he said, a tap of the sticks would make them scatter.

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Mr Allen suggested they could be a "series of tunnels under the road", "deep sewers", or "potentially soakways from properties".

From

Prof Wallace gets his from a company that specialises in fishing them out of sewers and turning them into biofuels.

From

"Cardiff council does treat sewers in areas where there has been an increase in rodent sightings and we do have a paid for service which helps eradicate rats from residents' homes," they added.

From

These included new treatment plants, along with schemes which would let owners of septic tanks and package treatment works ask for a connection to the mains sewer under certain conditions.

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