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

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

Where aquifer levels decline, wells and faucets increasingly sputter and run dry, people drill deeper and the land can sink as underground spaces collapse.

From Los Angeles Times

He also recognized that the nation needed a firmer, professional hand on the monetary faucet.

From Los Angeles Times

By now, you might be feeling pretty frustrated and more than a little leery about what’s pouring out of your kitchen faucet.

From Salon

City officials have urged residents not to use water that has started to come out of their faucets for now, warning that this could delay the completion of the repairs.

From Los Angeles Times

For a man who was so paranoid that he reportedly refused to brush his teeth or shower for fear blood would gush from the faucet, it was a night-and-day change.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• nozzle 
• valve