water wagon
1
5.1
- noun
- /ˈwɔːtər ˈwæɡən/
- Hang on to the water wagon, old-timer.
Examples
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To keep the road dust-free during the construction, the crew used a water wagon to spray the area.
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The soldiers waited anxiously as the water wagon arrived to provide them with drinking water.
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During the drought, the water wagon was essential for delivering water to remote farms.
Synonyms
5
3.2
A large truck that carries and sprays water for roads, plants, or fires
1
3.2
A big vehicle with a tank that carries and sprays water
1
4.3
A cart with a tank that carries and gives out water
1
3.2
A vehicle with a tank and sprinkler that sprays water on roads to stop dust
A vehicle like a truck that carries water to give to people or to spray on roads
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a wagon or vehicle for carrying and distributing water' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'water' (the liquid) with 'wagon' (a cart/vehicle). This is a straightforward noun–noun compound following a common compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Water wagon comes from a simple picture: a wagon carrying barrels of water that stops so people can get a drink or so workers can sprinkle the road to keep down dust. Because the wagon really did 'carry and supply water', the phrase now means a vehicle used to bring and spread water.