horse-pond
Definition
Noun: - A pond or pool of water specifically used for watering or bathing horses.
Usage Examples
- (A body of water used for horses to drink from or cool off in.)
- (A pool designated for horse use only.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be in the horse-pond": to be in a difficult or messy situation (archaic or figurative use).
- After the deal fell through, he found himself in the horse-pond of financial trouble. (In a problematic situation, likened to the muddy water of a horse-pond.)
Variants and Related Words
- Horsepond (n): alternate spelling of horse-pond.
- The old horsepond was overgrown with reeds. (The pool for horses.)
- Horse-watering (adj): relating to the act of giving water to horses.
- The horse-watering trough was empty. (A container for watering horses.)
Synonyms
- Watering hole: a natural or artificial place where animals drink water.
- Trough: a long, narrow container for feeding or watering animals.
- Paddling pool: a shallow pool for wading, sometimes used for horses in hot weather.
Related Idioms
- To be in deep water: to be in a difficult situation (similar to the figurative use of "horse-pond").
- He was in deep water after losing his job. (In a problematic situation.)
Notes on Usage
- The term "horse-pond" is less common in modern English and is often replaced by "watering trough" or simply "pond for horses." It appears in historical or rural contexts.