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Drain vs Sump - What's the difference?

drain | sump |

In transitive terms the difference between drain and sump

is that drain is to draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust while sump is of a cave passage, to end in a sump, or to fill completely with water on occasion.

As nouns the difference between drain and sump

is that drain is a conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume while sump is a hollow or pit into which liquid drains, such as a cesspool, cesspit or sink.

As verbs the difference between drain and sump

is that drain is to lose liquid while sump is of a cave passage, to end in a sump, or to fill completely with water on occasion.

drain

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-03, volume=101, issue=2, page=114, magazine=(American Scientist)
  • , author=Frank Fish, George Lauder , title= Not Just Going with the Flow , passage=An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex . The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain , as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes.}}
  • An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.
  • Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
  • (label) An act of urination.
  • (label) The name of one terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).
  • Derived terms

    * circle the drain * down the drain * drain fly

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To lose liquid.
  • The clogged sink drained slowly.
  • To flow gradually.
  • The water of low ground drains off.
  • (ergative) To cause liquid to flow out of.
  • Please drain the sink. It's full of dirty water.
  • (ergative) To convert a perennially wet place into a dry one.
  • They had to drain the swampy land before the parking lot could be built.
  • To deplete of energy or resources.
  • The stress of this job is really draining me.
  • To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.
  • * Motley
  • But it was not alone that he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.
  • (obsolete) To filter.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
  • (pinball) To fall off the bottom of the playfield.
  • * 1990 , Steven A. Schwartz, Compute's Nintendo Secrets
  • When a ball finally drains , it's gulped down by a giant gator beneath the set of flippers.

    Derived terms

    * drainage * drain the lizard (vulgar)

    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

    * ----