Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A thief or robber on the water, hence, a pirate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A valve with multiple connections that permits bleeding a large line through several subordinate lines.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From water + thief.
Calque of Ancient Greek κλεψύδρα (klepsúdra, “pipette”, literally “water-thief”), equivalent to water + thief.
