gas-works

A large gas-works stands near the river with tall chimneys.

Definition

Noun (plural in form but used with a singular or plural verb):
A gas-works is a factory where coal is heated to produce flammable gas (such as coal gas) for lighting, heating, or industrial use. It is an industrial plant that manufactures gas from solid fuel.

Usage Examples

• (The factory that produced gas was shut down.)
• (Employees at the plant oversaw the equipment used for gas generation.)
• (A facility for manufacturing gas is under construction.)

Advanced Usage

• "to work at a gas-works": to be employed in a gas-manufacturing plant.

  • He spent his entire career at the local gas-works. (He worked at the factory for his whole professional life.)

• "a gas-works chimney": a tall smokestack associated with such a plant, often a landmark.

  • The gas-works chimney could be seen from miles away. (The tall structure of the factory was visible from a distance.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gasworks (n): alternative spelling (same meaning).

  • The gasworks site is now a park. (The location of the former factory is now a recreational area.)

• Gas (n): the product produced at a gas-works; a fuel in gaseous state.

  • The gas from the works was piped to nearby homes. (The fuel was distributed through pipes.)

• Works (n): a factory or industrial plant.

  • The steel works employed thousands. (The steel factory had many workers.)

Synonyms

• Gas plant: a facility that manufactures gas.
• Gas factory: another term for gas-works, often used interchangeably.
• Coal gasification plant: a more modern term for a plant that converts coal into gas.

Related Idioms

• "like a gas-works": (informal, dated) describing something that smells strongly of gas or is unpleasant.
  • The room smelled like a gas-works after the leak. (The odour was reminiscent of a gas-production facility.)

Notes on Usage

• The word "gas-works" is typically treated as a singular noun (e.g., "The gas-works is closed"), though it can also be used with a plural verb when referring to the multiple components of the facility (e.g., "The gas-works are being renovated").