watering-cart

A worker drives a watering-cart down a dusty street.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A vehicle for sprinkling water: "watering-cart" refers to a cart or vehicle, typically horse-drawn or motorized, equipped with a tank and sprinkler system, used to water roads, gardens, or fields to settle dust or irrigate.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The municipal workers drove the watering-cart along the dusty streets every morning. (A cart used to sprinkle water on roads to control dust.)
  • Farmers used a watering-cart to irrigate the vegetable patches during the dry season. (A vehicle for watering crops or gardens.)

Advanced Usage

• "to follow the watering-cart" (rare, historical): to work as a street cleaner or waterer.
  • In the 19th century, many laborers followed the watering-cart to earn a living. (They worked alongside the cart, sprinkling water manually or assisting.)

Variants and Related Words

• Water cart (n): a simpler or more modern term for the same vehicle.

  • The water cart sprayed the park paths to keep them cool. (Synonymous with watering-cart.)

• Watering (n): the act of applying water.

  • Regular watering of the lawn is essential in summer. (The process of giving water.)

Synonyms

• Sprinkler truck: a motorized vehicle used for watering roads or fields.
• Water wagon: a wagon or truck carrying water for sprinkling.

Related Idioms

• "to be on the water cart" (informal, dated): to be engaged in a task that is dull or repetitive, like watering streets.
  • He felt like he was on the water cart, doing the same job day after day. (Stuck in a monotonous routine.)

Note: "watering-cart" is a specific historical or technical term, less common in modern usage, often replaced by "water truck" or "sprinkler vehicle."