A cart, usually a barrel or tank on wheels, carrying water; chiefly, an apparatus of this kind intended for watering the streets, the receptacle being fitted with an arrangement by which the water escapes through a number of small holes as the vehicle goes along.
1721. Mortimer, Husb. (ed. 5), I. 25. A Gentleman … found a very great advantage by watering of his St. Foin … with a Water-Cart.
1789. Trans. Soc. Arts, II. 49. A barrel cart, or what is commonly called a water-cart.
1801. Farmer’s Mag., Aug., 278. Some superior managers even supply them [sc. sheep] regularly with water, in long narrow troughs, led by means of a water-cart, while in the fold on dry hay.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., i. Performing the part of three water-carts for the benefit of their dusty roads.
1875. Ruskin, Fors Clav., V. 56. During the filling of the water-cart, through its leathern pipe, from the dripping iron post at the pavement edge.
1914. Daily News, 20 Aug., 6. A half battalion … marched up, hoisted their machine guns and watercart aboard, [etc.].
b. Comb., esp. in jocular allusions to weeping.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xvi. Come, come,… blow this ’ere water-cart bis’ness. Ibid., xlv. I’m wery much mistaken if that ’ere Jingle worn’t a-doin’ somethin’ in the water-cart way!
a. 1839. Hood, Ode to St. Swithin, 59. Why task yourself to lay the dust in streets, As if there were no Water-Cart contractors.
