water cooler
3
2.1
- noun
- /ˈwɔːtər ˈkuːlər/
:
dispensador de agua
- Across the room, there was a water cooler.
- office water cooler
- large water cooler
- get a water cooler
Because America, excuse me, world needs a water cooler.
- Because America, excuse me, world needs a water cooler.
Examples
-
The water cooler provides cold drinks for employees throughout the hot summer months.
-
I did become thirsty, though, and I walked over to the water cooler to get a drink.
Fiction book (1998) -
Go and get your mother some cold water from the water cooler, right at the back of the room you were in.
Fiction book (1993) -
I walked over to a water cooler, pulled down a paper cup, and filled it.
Fiction book (1994) -
Norville runs across the office to a large water cooler.
Fiction book (1994) -
Uncle John paused before the water cooler.
Fiction book (1993) -
Don't discuss your raise with him by email, at the water cooler, or by telephone.
Blog text (16) -
"See that water cooler over there?" Jo Lynn pointed toward the large glass water cooler in one corner of the room.
Fiction book (1997) -
I went to the water cooler, rinsed my mouth, and spat, and then I took another paper cup and drank.
Fiction book (1999) -
In the break room, everyone gathered around the water cooler to chat and refill their cups.
Synonyms
17
1.0
A public tap that gives water you can drink
9
1.0
A public tap that gives water for people to drink
A machine that gives cold drinking water in offices or public places
How Convenient
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal device meaning (a cooler that dispenses/keeps water) is directly derivable from 'water' + 'cooler', so learners will recognize the concrete object. However, the usage as a metonymic social spot for informal workplace talk/gossip is a pragmatic extension that is culture-specific and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so a B1 learner who only knows the words may not infer the figurative sense without prior exposure.
Etymology
Water cooler is the office machine that keeps water cold and lets people fill cups or bottles, so the name comes from the literal words water and cooler.