waterworks
/ˈwɔːtəwəːks
/plural noun
1 [treated as singular] An establishment for managing a water supply.Sources said that almost all schools in the village did not get water supply from the waterworks and the students were also consuming the hand-pumped water....
- In the past 28 years, neither the capacity of these waterworks had been increased nor the water supply technique changed.
- With the condition of waterworks becoming worse and groundwater level dipping, residents of the nearby villages are facing an acute water shortage here.
2 informal Used to refer to the shedding of tears: she is an expert at turning on the waterworks to manipulate others...
- And she'll turn on the waterworks if the deals backfire.
- I know children will turn on the waterworks if the adults get all dramatic.
- A barking mad pooch has tapped into fame with his ability to turn on the waterworks.
2.1British Used as a humorous euphemism for the urinary system: there’s nothing wrong with your heart; any trouble with the waterworks?...
- The department, which looks after people suffering from problems with their waterworks (bladder, kidneys and prostate) was also one of the first to use keyhole laser surgery to treat prostate cancer.
- When I had that bit of trouble with my waterworks, I went straight into the Nuffield in Great Western Road.
- What question did you ask them, to elicit whether or not they were having trouble with their waterworks?
- marsh helleborine
- marsh hen
- marsh horsetail
- marshiness
- marshing
- marshland
- marshlander
- marsh-light
- marsh lousewort
- marshmallow
- marsh mallow
- marshmallow roast
- marshmallowy
- marshman
- marsh marigold
- marsh melon
- marsh mutton
- marsh orchid
- marsh orchis
- marsh owl
- Marshpee
- marsh pink
- marsh rabbit
- marsh ragwort
- marsh-rocket