A pump for raising water.
1530. Palsgr., 287/1. Water pompe, aquaticque.
1824. R. Stuart, Hist. Steam Engine, 115. The air-pump barrel is attached to this vessel by the pipe s,… the piston is similar to those usually employed in water-pumps.
1844. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 316. Under this last method, the water-pump is understood to be in constant action.
1878. Abney, Photogr. (1881), 107. The mixed solutions should be filtered, but in this operation great difficulty is often found. The most ready method of effecting it is by the aid of a Bunsen water-pump.
b. jocularly, with ref. to weeping.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxiv. ‘Thank you, Dobbin,’ he said, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles…. The water-pumps were at work again.
So Water-pumper, Water-pumping.
1723. J. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Gt. Brit. (ed. 26), II. [588]. Tower of London … Water-Pumper, Per Diem, 0 0 7.
1909. Westm. Gaz., 30 Nov., 5/2. They have also fitted a waterpumping engine in the Turkish Houses of Parliament.
