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Cistern vs Sump - What's the difference?

cistern | sump |

As nouns the difference between cistern and sump

is that cistern is a reservoir or tank for holding water, especially for catching and holding rainwater for later use while sump is a hollow or pit into which liquid drains, such as a cesspool, cesspit or sink.

As a verb sump is

of a cave passage, to end in a sump, or to fill completely with water on occasion.

cistern

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A reservoir or tank for holding water, especially for catching and holding rainwater for later use.
  • * 1913 , A.C. Cotter, ",
  • Their extreme necessity is attested by the countless number of old, unused cisterns with which the Holy Land is literally honeycombed.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=2001 , author=Philip J. King and Lawrence E. Stager , title=Life in Biblical Israel , chapter=3 , isbn=0664221483 , page=126 , passage=Cisterns (bôr'', ''b?'r ), mentioned frequently in the Bible, are artificial reservoirs, usually cut into bedrock, for collecting and conserving rain runoff from roofs and courtyards.}}
  • (technical) In a flush toilet, the container in which the water used for flushing is held; a toilet tank.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=2003 , author=Allan Windust , title=Waterwise House & Garden: a Guide for Sustainable Living , chapter=9 , isbn=0643068007 , page=36 , passage=It is possible to connect your tank to your toilet cistern and/or garden, so that even if the water is not drinkable it still can be used productively to make major water savings.}}
  • (anatomy) A cisterna.
  • Anagrams

    * ----

    sump

    English

    (wikipedia sump)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hollow or pit into which liquid drains, such as a cesspool, cesspit or sink.
  • The lowest part of a mine shaft into which water drains.
  • A completely flooded cave passage, sometimes passable by diving.
  • (automotive) The crankcase or oil reservoir of an internal combustion engine.
  • (nautical) The pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (FM 55-501).
  • (construction) An intentional depression around a drain or scupper that promotes drainage.
  • Derived terms

    * dry sump * sump pump * wet sump

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • Of a cave passage, to end in a sump, or to fill completely with water on occasion.
  • * We discovered a new passage, but it sumped after 100 metres.
  • * This low passage sumps quickly after moderate rainfall.
  • Anagrams

    * ---- ==Norwegian Bokmål==

    Noun

    (nb-noun-m1)
  • a swamp (type of wetland )
  • References

    * ----