faucet

faucet
faucet c.1400, from O.Fr. fausset (14c.) "breach, spigot, stopper, peg (of a barrel)," of unknown origin; perhaps dim. of L. faux, fauces "upper part of the throat, pharynx, gullet." Barnhart and others suggest the Old French word is from fausser "to damage, break into," from L.L. falsare (see FALSE (Cf. false)). Spigot and faucet was the name of an old type of tap for a barrel or cask, consisting of a hollow, tapering tube, which was driven at the narrow end into a barrel, and a screw into the tube which regulated the flow of the liquid. Properly, it seems, the spigot was the tube, the faucet the screw, but the senses have merged or reversed over time. Faucet is now the common word in Amer.Eng. for the whole apparatus.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • faucet — is a late Middle English word meaning ‘a tap for drawing liquor from a barrel or cask’. In BrE it survives in technical uses (often combined with spigot), but in domestic use it has given way entirely to tap. In AmE, faucet is in widespread use… …   Modern English usage

  • Faucet — Fau cet, n. [F. fausset, perh. fr. L. fauces throat.] 1. A fixture for drawing a liquid, as water, molasses, oil, etc., from a pipe, cask, or other vessel, in such quantities as may be desired; called also {tap}, and {cock}. It consists of a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • faucet — [n] spigot bibb, bibcock, hydrant, nozzle, spout, stopcock, tap, valve; concepts 445,464 …   New thesaurus

  • faucet — ► NOUN chiefly N. Amer. ▪ a tap. ORIGIN Old French fausset, from Provençal falsar to bore …   English terms dictionary

  • faucet — [fô′sit, fä′sit] n. [ME < OFr fausset, prob. < faulser, to make a breach in, falsify < LL falsare < L falsus, FALSE] a device with a hand operated valve for regulating the flow of a liquid from a pipe, barrel, etc.; cock; tap …   English World dictionary

  • faucet — noun (AmE) ⇨ See also ↑tap ADJECTIVE ▪ water ▪ cold water, hot water ▪ dripping, leaky ▪ She repaired a leaky faucet …   Collocations dictionary

  • faucet — n. (AE) 1) to turn on a faucet 2) a faucet leaks 3) a leaky faucet (CE has tap) * * * [ fɔːsɪt] (AE) to turn on a faucet a faucet leaks a leaky faucet (CE has tap) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • faucet — /faw sit/, n. any device for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe or the like by opening or closing an orifice; tap; cock. [1350 1400; ME < MF fausset peg for a vent, perh. equiv. to fauss(er) to force in, damage, warp, lit., to falsify ( …   Universalium

  • faucet — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. tap, spigot, cock, spout, valve; spile, bung. See closure, opening. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. tap, fixture, spigot, cock, drain, petcock, plumbing, stopcock, hot water faucet, cold water faucet, hot*,… …   English dictionary for students

  • faucet — [[t]fɔ͟ːsɪt[/t]] faucets N COUNT A faucet is a device that controls the flow of a liquid or gas from a pipe or container. Sinks and baths have faucets attached to them. [AM] She turned off the faucet and dried her hands. (in BRIT, usually use… …   English dictionary

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