bilge well

9.9

A low space at the bottom of a ship where leaked water collects to be pumped out

noun
/bɪldʒ wɛl/

Specialized

: sentina

Water that leaks into the hull is collected in the bilge well and then pumped overboard.

Examples

Water collected in the bilge well must be pumped out regularly.
The engineer checked the bilge well for any signs of excess water before the ship set sail.
Routine maintenance includes cleaning the bilge well to prevent blockages in the drainage system.
The crew checked the bilge well for any leaks.
Routine maintenance includes cleaning the bilge well to prevent blockages in the drainage system.
The engineer checked the bilge well for any signs of excess water before the ship set sail.
Water that leaks into the hull is collected in the bilge well and then pumped overboard.

Surface Forms

bilge well singular

bilge wells plural

Morphology

bilge + well

The compound is a straightforward composition of 'bilge' (the lowest internal area of a ship's hull) + 'well' (a recess or pit for holding water), so the meaning 'a recess in the bilge where seepage collects' is directly inferable from the parts. It is technical nautical vocabulary but morphologically regular, so a learner who knows both constituents can understand the MWE.

Etymology

Bilge well is the low spot at the very bottom of a ship where leaked water and dirty oil gather. The words bilge, meaning the lowest part of the ship, and well, meaning a small hollow, give the image of a little pool that holds the leaks, and that's why it means the place where this water is collected to be 'pumped out'.