The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
cesspool — 1670s, the first element perhaps an alteration of CISTERN (Cf. cistern), perhaps an aphetic form of RECESS (Cf. recess); or the whole may be an alteration of suspiral (c.1400), drainpipe, from O.Fr. sospiral a vent, air hole, from sospirer… … Etymology dictionary
cesspool — ► NOUN ▪ an underground container for the temporary storage of liquid waste and sewage. ORIGIN probably from archaic suspiral «vent, water pipe, settling tank», from Old French souspirail air hole … English terms dictionary
cesspool — [ses′po͞ol΄] n. [< ? It cesso, privy < L secessus, place of retirement (in LL, privy, drain): see SECEDE] 1. a deep hole or pit in the ground, usually covered, to receive drainage or sewage from the sinks, toilets, etc. of a house 2. a… … English World dictionary
cesspool — [17] Cesspool has no direct etymological connection with pool. It comes from Old French suspirail ‘ventilator, breathing hole’, a derivative of souspirer ‘breathe’ (this goes back to Latin suspīrāre, source of the archaic English suspire ‘sigh’) … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
cesspool — UK [ˈsesˌpuːl] / US [ˈsesˌpul] noun [countable] Word forms cesspool : singular cesspool plural cesspools a cesspit … English dictionary
cesspool — [17] Cesspool has no direct etymological connection with pool. It comes from Old French suspirail ‘ventilator, breathing hole’, a derivative of souspirer ‘breathe’ (this goes back to Latin suspīrāre, source of the archaic English suspire ‘sigh’) … Word origins
cesspool — noun Etymology: perhaps by folk etymology from Middle English suspiral vent, tap on a main pipe, settling pool, from Anglo French, suspirale vent, from suspirer to sigh, exhale, from Latin suspirare, literally, to draw a long breath more at… … New Collegiate Dictionary
cesspool — /ses poohl /, n. 1. a cistern, well, or pit for retaining the sediment of a drain or for receiving the sewage from a house. 2. any filthy receptacle or place. 3. any place of moral filth or immorality: a cesspool of iniquity. [1575 85; cess ( … Universalium
cesspool — [[t]se̱spuːl[/t]] cesspools N COUNT A cesspool is the same as a cesspit … English dictionary
cesspool — /ˈsɛspul / (say sespoohl) noun 1. a cistern, well, or pit for retaining the sediment of a drain or for receiving waste from a sewerage system, etc. 2. any filthy receptacle or place: a cesspool of iniquity. {alteration of cesperalle, from Old… …
