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Glite Dictionary
stormwater drain

stormwater drain

2.7
A pipe or channel that carries rainwater away from streets and buildings
  • noun
  • /ˈstɔrmˌwɔtər dreɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : desagüe pluvial
  • The heavy rain caused the streets to flood, so the water flowed into the stormwater drain nearby.

Examples

  • Rainwater could cause the waste to overflow and spill into a nearby stormwater drain or onto the ground.

    Academic text (2003)

  • All leachate and stormwater drains to the rear of the pad where it is collected and pumped back to the wastewater treatment facility.

    Academic text (1999)

  • For example, EPD estimates that in 1988, Hong Kong produced about 280 tonnes of chemical waste daily, most of which was discharged without any kind of on-site treatment directly into sewers or stormwater drains.

    Academic text (1990)

  • It's important to keep leaves and debris out of the stormwater drain to prevent blockages.

  • During the storm, a lot of water was directed to the stormwater drain to prevent flooding in the area.

Synonyms

drain
vsstormwater drain
122 1.0

A pipe or channel that carries away waste water from a place

is specific to excess rainwater from streets and other surfaces
storm drain
vsstormwater drain
18 3.0

A pipe under the street that carries away rainwater

is broader including aboveground channels and rainwater from buildings
drainage ditch
vsstormwater drain
4 3.2

A narrow channel dug in the ground that carries away extra water

is usually buried as pipes or channels serving streets buildings and paved areas

How Big

floodway
  • Specialized
5.8
stormwater drain
  • Specialized
2.7
culvert
  • Specialized
9 6.8
gutter
52 1.7

Surface Forms

stormwater drain singular
stormwater drains plural

Morphology

stormwater + drain

The meaning is directly compositional: a 'drain' that carries 'stormwater' (rainwater running off surfaces). This compound follows standard English noun+noun composition and has clear counterparts in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Stormwater drain paints a simple picture: stormwater is the heavy rain that comes in storms and a drain is a pipe or channel that takes water away. So the name literally points to the thing that 'carries away' rainwater from streets and buildings.