sewer

sewer — 名詞

1. A pipe buried beneath the ground that takes waste water and sewage from houses a

1.名詞B2
釋義

下水道

地下排放廢水和汙水的管道

A pipe buried beneath the ground that takes waste water and sewage from houses and other buildings to a facility where the waste can be cleaned and safely disposed of.

例句

The city council approved funding to repair the old sewer system beneath the downtown area.

市議會批准了經費,用來修繕市中心下方的舊下水道系統。

sewer system — common compound noun

Beatriz noticed a foul smell coming from the sewer grate outside her apartment.

Beatriz 聞到一股惡臭從她公寓外的下水道孔蓋傳出來。

同義詞
  • drain

    A more general term; a drain carries rainwater or used water away, while a sewer specifically handles human waste as well.

  • waste pipe

    Focuses on the function of carrying waste; can refer to pipes inside a building as well as the main underground system.

  • culvert

    A tunnel that carries water under a road or railway, usually for storm water rather than sewage.

用法筆記

Often used in the plural form 'sewers' to refer to the entire pipe network of a town or city. Also commonly appears in compound nouns such as 'sewer system', 'sewer pipe', and 'sewer line'.

常見錯誤

The kitchen sink sewer is blocked.
The kitchen sink drain is blocked.
💡A sewer is the main underground pipe system, not the pipe directly under a sink.

2. A channel at ground level, usually left uncovered, that carries sewage and dirty

2.名詞B2
釋義

排水溝

地面上開放式的汙水排放渠道

A channel at ground level, usually left uncovered, that carries sewage and dirty water from buildings away instead of through a buried pipe.

例句

In the old quarter, waste water runs through an open sewer beside the narrow streets.

在舊城區,廢水沿著狹窄街道旁的開放式排水溝流動。

open sewer — standard compound for this sense

The local authorities covered the open sewer to prevent children from falling in.

當地政府加蓋了那條開放式排水溝,以防止兒童跌入。

同義詞
  • drain

    A more general word for any channel that removes water; 'open drain' is also a common alternative for this sense.

  • gutter

    A channel at the edge of a road that carries away rainwater, but not usually intended for human waste.

  • channel

    A broader term for any long, narrow passage through which water flows.

用法筆記

This sense is typically used in the compound 'open sewer' to distinguish it from the underground pipe system. It is most common in descriptions of older or less developed areas where a covered drainage system has not been installed.