faucet

[ faw-sit ]

noun

1. any device for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe or the like by opening or closing an orifice; tap; cock.

faucet

/ ˈfɔːsɪt /

noun

1. a tap fitted to a barrel
2. a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)tap

Word History and Origins

Origin of faucet¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French fausset peg for a vent, perhaps equivalent to fauss ( er ) to force in, damage, warp, literally, to falsify (< Late Latin falsāre; false ) + -et -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of faucet¹

C14: from Old French fausset , from Provençal falset , from falsar to bore

Example Sentences

The jump from the Big Sky Conference to the SEC had been going great, the points were pouring in, a faucet that couldn’t be stopped.

From Los Angeles Times

He has said the resource is “horribly mismanaged” in California and has promised to turn on a massive “faucet” for farmers and cities — partly by weakening environmental protections for such species as the Delta smelt.

From Los Angeles Times

They scraped through more debris, eventually finding a bathroom sink faucet.

From Los Angeles Times

When Cynthia Ruiz turns on her kitchen faucet, she hears a slight squeak before cloudy fluid bursts out of the spout.

From Salon

“And in all plumbing components, faucets, valves, pipes — you name it.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• nozzle
• valve