water main
15
2.6
- noun
- /ˈwɔːtər meɪn/
- Specialized
:
tubería principal
- A water main burst today, causing significant water loss and traffic disruption in the area.
And there was a water main that burst into the brick building.
- And there was a water main that burst into the brick building.
Examples
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Now, the weatherman reported gas fires, burst water mains, and houses whose roofs had caved in.
Fiction book (2002) -
In other news, a water main break near During Avenue caused major flooding earlier today.
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- It looks like a water main broke.
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Last July, when a large water main broke a few miles from here, I was sent with color film to photograph the repair efforts.
Academic text (2000) -
The hotel that's doing our wedding had a water main break.
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There's a broken water main, okay?
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A water main burst underground today... stopping subway service and flooding Downtown Brooklyn.
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By 1907, only 65 percent of the residents drew their water from municipal water mains.
Academic text (2010) -
The second option recommended by the state, at a cost estimated at $400,000, was to extend the city water main 5,000 feet to accommodate all of the residents.
Academic text (1994) -
My neighbors have bulldozers, can fix downed power lines, replace damaged water mains, and pump water out of subway tunnels.
Blog text (1)
Synonyms
106
3.7
A long pipe that carries oil or gas across land
27
4.2
A large pipe that carries water, gas or sewage
6
1.0
A tube that carries water into a house or building
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound meaning is directly and compositionally built from 'water' (the substance being supplied) + 'main' (the primary conduit), so a learner who knows both words can infer 'the primary pipe that carries water'. Noun–noun compounding of this sort is common and mirrors constructions in many languages, making the sense immediately accessible to an average B1 learner.
Etymology
The noun water main comes from a simple image: a big, central pipe called the main that carries water like a highway through a town. That's why 'water main' means 'a large pipe that brings water to buildings and homes'.