cistern
/'sistən/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An artificial reservoir for storing liquids; especially an underground tank for storing rainwater: A man-made container, often large and built below ground level, designed to hold a supply of water or other liquid.
- A tank that holds the water used to flush a toilet: The component in a toilet system, typically located above the bowl, which stores and releases water for flushing.
- (Anatomy) A sac or cavity containing fluid, especially lymph or cerebrospinal fluid: A natural reservoir or space in the body that holds a specific bodily fluid.
Usage Examples
- General Reservoir:
- The old farmhouse collected its water supply from a stone cistern.
- They built an underground cistern to store rainwater for irrigation.
- Toilet Component:
- The plumber repaired a leak in the toilet cistern.
- Please don't flush; the cistern is broken and needs to be refilled.
- Anatomical Structure:
- Cerebrospinal fluid is stored in cisterns within the brain.
- The cisterna chyli is a major lymph cistern in the abdomen.
Advanced Usage
- "Cistern head": The access point or cover for an underground cistern.
- The cistern head in the garden was overgrown with weeds.
- "Cistern valve": A device that controls the flow of water into or out of a cistern.
- A faulty cistern valve was causing the constant running sound.
Variants and Related Words
- Cisterna (n): The Latin-derived term used in anatomical contexts (plural: cisternae).
- The subarachnoid cisternae are important in neurology.
- Cisternal (adj): Pertaining to or of the nature of a cistern.
- A cisternal puncture is a medical procedure.
Synonyms
- Reservoir: A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.
- Tank: A container for holding liquid or gas.
- Vessel: A hollow container, especially one used to hold liquid.
Related Phrases
- To have a memory like a cistern: (Idiomatic, rare/archaic) To have a very poor memory, implying things go in but are not retained, like water draining from a leaky cistern.
- He never remembers names; he has a memory like a cistern.
- Cistern wagon: (Historical) A railway wagon or cart equipped with a large tank for carrying water or other liquids.
- The steam locomotive was followed by a cistern wagon for refilling.
Noun
- an artificial reservoir for storing liquids; especially an underground tank for storing rainwater
- a tank that holds the water used to flush a toilet
- a sac or cavity containing fluid especially lymph or cerebrospinal fluid