sink plug
- noun
- UK
:
tapón de fregadero
- Make sure to put the sink plug in before filling the basin with water.
Examples
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After washing the dishes, I removed the sink plug to let the water drain.
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The plumber suggested using a new sink plug to stop the water from draining out.
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I need sink plugs.
Synonyms
50
1.5
An object that fits tightly into a hole to stop liquid or gas
A stopper that fits into a bath drain to keep water in
A small object that stops water leaving a sink or bathtub
A small plug that seals a bath or sink drain to keep water in
A small part that you put in a sink or bathtub to keep water in
How Tight
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'device used to block the drain of a sink' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'sink' (a basin) with 'plug' (an object that seals or blocks flow); the compound straightforwardly denotes a plug for a sink. This simple Noun+Noun composition follows common English patterns and has clear equivalents in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Sink plug comes from the simple image of a small stopper you push into the sink hole to keep water from leaving. The word sink shows where it is and plug shows it 'plugs' the drain, so it means 'a device to block the drain and keep water in'.