water roomn.
/ˈwɔːtə ruːm/, /ˈwɔːtə rʊm/, U.S. /ˈwɔdər ˌrum/, /ˈwɑdər ˌrum/, /ˈwɔdər ˌrʊm/, /ˈwɑdər ˌrʊm/ 1. Space for a fish, ship, etc., to move about freely in the water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > [noun] > space to move about in
water room1653
1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler viii. 162 The Carp, if he have water room and good feed, will grow to a very great bigness and length. View more context for this quotation
1704 J. Smith Compleat Fisher (ed. 3) 76 A single Hair next the Hook..will take one [sc. a trout] of 13 Inches, if there be Water-room, free from Wood and Weeds.
1832 J. R. McCulloch Dict. Commerce 475 Leith has two wet docks..containing more than 10 acres of water-room.
1899 Daily Picayune (New Orleans) 6 Aug. 11/1 A badly situated fishing port on account of the limited water room, sandbanks, and the ice that makes it unattainable for some months in winter.
1971 Commerc. Fisheries Rev. July 52/2 It would be beneficial to move the fish to deeper water to give them more water room and to get them out of the muddy and roiled harvesting area.
2014 m.petco.com 22 Oct. (O.E.D. Archive) Some fish, particularly saltwater fish, need about twice as much water room as freshwater fish and should be kept in a 40-plus gallon aquarium for stability.
2. Any of various kinds of room in which water is stored, used, etc. Cf. wet room n.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > room > room by type of use > [noun] > others
speech-housec1050
watching-chamber1533
music room1608
service room1669
amphitheatre1694
lararium1706
well-room1731
lumber room1740
water room1774
bird room1776
grubbery1791
bookery1798
study1808
service room1833
selamlik1838
serving room1838
social space1851
mail room1856
rumpus room1930
birthing room1936
home office1960
romper room1961
dungeon1969
1774 Public Advertiser 13 Aug. (advt.) A substantial Range of Warehouses..contain[ing] nine Chambers or Water-rooms.
1809 E. A. Kendall Trav. Northern Parts U.S. II. xlvi. 132 The water is led by troughs into a range of vats or rooms, distinguished by the name of water-rooms.
1866 E. A. Parkes Man. Pract. Hygiene (ed. 2) 295 Small rooms at the end [of the barrack] accommodate serjeants, reading and water rooms.
1910 List of Farms for Sale or Rent N.Y. State (N.Y. Dept. Agric. Bull. No. 16) 68 c/2 House, 28x36, with water room.
1999 J. L. Singman Daily Life Medieval Europe v. 117 At the top of the stairs in the forebuilding was a water room, with a lead cistern to collect rainwater from the roof.
2010 Philadelphia Inquirer (Nexis) 17 Sept. (Daily Mag.) f1 His restroom design was inspired by the baths and ‘water rooms’ used for washing at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1653