Meanings
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1
noun
a system of reservoirs, treatment facilities, pumps, and pipes that supplies water to a community
A torrent rushed down the hill from the damaged waterworks.
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2
noun
a facility where a public water supply is stored, treated, or pumped
The old waterworks now houses an exhibition about the city's engineering history.
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3
noun
informal: crying or a conspicuous flow of tears, especially in the phrase turn on the waterworks
The sentimental ending turned on the waterworks for half the audience.
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4
noun
informal, especially British: the urinary organs or urinary system
The doctor asked whether he had experienced any trouble with his waterworks.
Thesaurus
Etymology
A compound of water + works, with works in its sense of machinery, installations, or an industrial facility. The figurative use for tears compares crying to a flowing water system; British informal use also extends the image to the urinary system.