cesspool

/'sespu:l/
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cesspool

A worker inspects the cesspool behind the house.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A covered underground tank or pit for the temporary storage of liquid waste and sewage: A "cesspool" is a primitive, often unsanitary, underground container where wastewater from a building (like from toilets and sinks) collects. It is a basic form of sewage disposal, typically not connected to a main sewer system.
    • (Figurative) A place or situation characterized by extreme filth, corruption, or moral decay: By extension, "cesspool" is used metaphorically to describe an environment that is considered utterly depraved, corrupt, or disgusting.
Examples of Usage

  • Literal meaning:

    • The old house in the countryside still had an outdated cesspool instead of a modern septic system.
    • The health inspector condemned the property due to a leaking cesspool near the well.

  • Figurative meaning:

    • The journalist described the city's political machine as a cesspool of greed and bribery.
    • He felt the internet forum had become a cesspool of hatred and misinformation.
Advanced Usage
  • "A cesspool of [something negative]": This is the standard figurative construction to describe a place full of a particular type of corruption or vice.
    • The novel portrays the capital as a cesspool of intrigue and deception.
    • That industry is often seen as a cesspool of nepotism.
Variants and Related Words
  • Cesspit (noun): A synonym for "cesspool," often used interchangeably, though sometimes "cesspit" is considered more common in British English.
    • The waste was draining into a foul-smelling cesspit.
  • Septic tank (noun): A more modern and sanitary tank for wastewater treatment, which partially treats the waste, unlike a simple storage cesspool.
Synonyms
  • Sump: A pit or reservoir serving as a drain or receptacle for liquids.
  • Septic system: A broader term for an on-site wastewater treatment structure.
  • (Figurative) Den of iniquity: A place where immoral activities are common.
  • (Figurative) Sink: A place where foul or corrupt things collect.
Related Phrases
  • To be a cesspool: Used to state that a place or situation has the qualities of a cesspool.
    • Without proper moderation, the comments section can quickly become a cesspool.
Related Idioms
  • A cesspool of vice: A very common idiom emphasizing moral corruption.
    • The area was once known as a cesspool of vice, filled with gambling dens and brothels.
cesspool

A worker inspects the cesspool behind the house.

Noun
  1. a covered cistern; waste water and sewage flow into it

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