cistern

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Related to Cisterns: Cisterna magna

cis·tern

(sĭs′tərn)

1. A receptacle for holding water or other liquid, especially a tank for catching and storing rainwater.

2. Anatomy A cisterna.

[Middle English cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from cista, box, from Greek kistē, basket.]

cis·tern′al (sĭ-stûr′nəl) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cistern

(ˈsɪstən)

1. (Building) a tank for the storage of water, esp on or within the roof of a house or connected to a WC

2. (Building) an underground reservoir for the storage of a liquid, esp rainwater

3. (Anatomy) anatomy another name for cisterna

[C13: from Old French cisterne, from Latin cisterna underground tank, from cista box]

cisternal adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cis•tern

(ˈsɪs tərn)

n.

1. a reservoir, tank, or container for storing or holding water or other liquid.

2. a reservoir or receptacle of some natural fluid of the body.

[1250–1300; Middle English < Latin cisterna <cist(a) chest]

Cistern

A deep hole dug in the ground, usually next to a house, and used to store rainwater that ran off the house roof. Cisterns were ordinarily used where no drinkable underground water could be found at a reasonable depth. The inside walls of a cistern were usually of masonry to prevent water loss from seepage and to prevent possible contaminated surface water from entering the cistern. Since the normal source of cistern water was rain, in periods of draught it was sometimes necessary to use a water wagon to haul in water.

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Noun	1.	cistern - a sac or cavity containing fluid especially lymph or cerebrospinal fluid cisterna sac - a structure resembling a bag in an animal
	2.	cistern - a tank that holds the water used to flush a toilet water tank storage tank, tank - a large (usually metallic) vessel for holding gases or liquids
	3.	cistern - an artificial reservoir for storing liquids; especially an underground tank for storing rainwater cesspit, cesspool, sump, sink - a covered cistern; waste water and sewage flow into it pool - an excavation that is (usually) filled with water rain barrel - a barrel used as a cistern to hold rainwater reservoir - tank used for collecting and storing a liquid (as water or oil)

cistern

noun tank, vat, basin, reservoir, sink He pointed to the antiquated cistern above the lavatory.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

صِهْريج، خَزّان ماء

cisterna

cisternevandtank

ZisterneSpülkastenWasserbehälter

aljibe

citerne réservoir aiguière

víztartály

vatnsgeymir

cisterna

bakascisterna

cisterna

cisternestortbak waterreservoir

cisterne kum tank

цистерна бак

cisterna

rezervuarsarnıç

贮水器

cistern

[ˈsɪstən] N [of WC] → cisterna f; (= tank) → depósito m; (for hot water) → termo m; (for rainwater) → aljibe m, cisterna f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

cistern

[ˈsɪstə^rn] n

[toilet] → réservoir m de chasse d'eau

(= water tank) (in house) → réservoir m (d'eau); (outside) → citerne f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

cistern

n → Zisterne f; (of WC) → Spülkasten m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

cistern

[ˈsɪstən] n → serbatoio, cisterna; (in toilet) → serbatoio d'acqua

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

cistern

(ˈsistən) noun

a tank etc for storing water (especially for a lavatory).

cis·tern

n. cisterna, receptáculo de agua, aljibe.

References in classic literature ?

In the next place particularly, that there may be plenty of water, and rivers near at hand: but if those cannot be found, very large cisterns must be prepared to save rain-water, so that there may be no want of it in case they should be driven into the town in time of war.

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When they reached the water side they went to the washing cisterns, through which there ran at all times enough pure water to wash any quantity of linen, no matter how dirty.

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He gazed with wonder upon the fortifications which make this place the Gibraltar of the Indian Ocean, and the vast cisterns where the English engineers were still at work, two thousand years after the engineers of Solomon.

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That commonest of village sights was lacking here--the public pump, with its great stone tank or trough of limpid water, and its group of gossiping pitcher-bearers; for there is no well or fountain or spring on this tall hill; cisterns of rain-water are used.

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On the roadside there are milestones, and likewise cisterns, where each thirsty passer-by can drink some good water.

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Then re-mounting aloft, it again goes through the same round until the deep cistern will yield no more.

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And many a one who hath gone into the wilderness and suffered thirst with beasts of prey, disliked only to sit at the cistern with filthy camel- drivers.

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A youth, a mild-faced Acadian, was drawing water from the cistern, which was nothing more than a rusty buoy, with an opening on one side, sunk in the ground.

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When they arrived at Mr Korbes's house, he was not at home; so the mice drew the carriage into the coach-house, Chanticleer and Partlet flew upon a beam, the cat sat down in the fireplace, the duck got into the washing cistern, the pin stuck himself into the bed pillow, the millstone laid himself over the house door, and the egg rolled himself up in the towel.

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Then we went down into a cavern which cavilers say was once a cistern. It is a chapel, now, however--the Chapel of St.

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Ah, indeed!" and also, "Is that Black Bill behind the cistern? Why I didn't look for you these two months; how do you find yourself?" Equally in his stopping at the bars and attending to anxious whisperers - always singly - Wemmick with his post-office in an immovable state, looked at them while in conference, as if he were taking particular notice of the advance they had made, since last observed, towards coming out in full blow at their trial.

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For the first, the ornaments of images gilt, or of marble, which are in use, do well: but the main matter is so to convey the water, as it never stay, either in the bowls or in the cistern; that the water be never by rest discolored, green or red or the like; or gather any mossiness or putrefaction.