stirrup pump
- noun
- /ˈstɪr.əp pʌmp/
- Archaic
:
bomba de estribo
- The firefighter used a stirrup pump to control the flames.
Examples
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In the museum, you can see a World War II stirrup pump on display.
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When the fire broke out, they quickly grabbed the stirrup pump to spray water on the flames.
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During the blackout, residents used a stirrup pump to control the small fire.
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The old farmhouse was equipped with a stirrup pump for emergencies.
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Don't forget to bring the stirrup pump for the demonstration.
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The farmer kept a stirrup pump near the barn to handle any fire emergencies.
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During the fire drill, every student learned how to operate a stirrup pump effectively.
Synonyms
266
2.1
A machine that moves water or air to another place
2
3.0
A simple device you move by hand to lift water or push air
A machine that pushes water up and out under pressure
How Portable
35
2.4
- Archaic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally a noun modified by 'stirrup', so a B1 learner who knows 'stirrup' (a foot-support) and 'pump' (device for moving fluid) can infer it is a type of pump involving a foot/footplate. However, the specific form (hand-operated but mounted on a footplate) and its typical use in firefighting are specialized details not fully predictable, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
Stirrup pump comes from its simple design: a small pump fixed to a metal footplate called a stirrup, so someone puts their foot on it and works the pump by hand. So the name means a small, portable hand pump used 'to fight fires'.