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sewer

 - 7 dictionary results

sew⋅er

1[soo-er]
–noun
1. an artificial conduit, usually underground, for carrying off waste water and refuse, as in a town or city.
–verb (used with object)
2. to provide or equip with sewers: a tax increase necessary to sewer the neighborhood.

Origin:
1375–1425; late ME suer(e) < dial. OF se(u)wiere overflow channel (cf. OF ess(e)ouer(e) ditch) < L *exaquāria drain for carrying water off, equiv. to L ex- ex- + aqu(a) water + -āria, fem. of -ārius -ary; see sew 2 , -er 2


sew⋅er⋅less, adjective
sew⋅er⋅like, adjective

sew⋅er

2[soh-er]
–noun
a person or thing that sews.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME; see sew 1 , -er 1

sew⋅er

3[soo-er]
–noun
a former household officer or head servant in charge of the service of the table.

Origin:
1300–50; ME, aph. < AF asseour seater, equiv. to OF asse(oir) to seat (< L assidēre to attend upon; see assiduous ) + -our -or 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sewer
sew·er 1   (sōō'ər)   
n.  An artificial, usually underground conduit for carrying off sewage or rainwater.

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman sewere, from Vulgar Latin *exaquāria : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin aquāria, feminine of aquārius, pertaining to water (from aqua, water; see akw-ā- in Indo-European roots).]
sew·er 2   (sōō'ər)   
n.  A medieval servant who supervised the serving of meals.

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman asseour, from asseer, to seat guests, from Latin assidēre, to sit down : ad-, ad- + sedēre, to sit; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
sew·er 3   (sō'ər)   
n.  One that sews: a sewer of fine clothing.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

sewer 
"conduit," 1402, from Anglo-Fr. sewere, O.N.Fr. sewiere "sluice from a pond" (13c.), lit. "something that makes water flow," from aphetic form of Gallo-Romance *exaquaria (cf. M.Fr. esseveur), from L. ex- "out" + aquaria, fem. of aquarius "pertaining to water," from aqua "water."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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