standpipe

noun

stand·​pipe ˈstan(d)-ˌpīp How to pronounce standpipe (audio)
: a high vertical pipe or reservoir that is used to secure a uniform pressure in a water-supply system

Examples of standpipe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Because of risks posed by faulty standpipes, NFPA calls for property owners to enact backup plans to lower the chance of firefighters having to seek out alternative water sources if fire erupts near a broken standpipe. Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2023 And a sewage smell might mean a clogged drain standpipe. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2023 Firefighters are trying to determine why the standpipe didn’t work properly, Alkins said. John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 13 July 2023 Laundry room Check for leaks around the standpipe — the thruway where water discharges from the washing machine — and make sure the drain hose hasn’t come loose. Jerica Pender, Washington Post, 27 June 2023 Unlike the water-taxing district previously proposed by some community members and shot down by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors last year, the standpipe district's power would be limited to creating and executing a temporary agreement to get water to Rio Verde Foothills. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 16 May 2023 In the airy ward behind them, some patients lay unresponsive in their beds, while others did their laundry at a standpipe and tried to engage trainee nurses in boisterous conversation on topics including lunch, visitors and the possible return of the messiah. New York Times, 11 Apr. 2022 Kolodin's current version, specifically designed to garner bipartisan support, endeavors to create a new type of government entity called a standpipe district that could enter into agreements to help Rio Verde Foothills get water. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 16 May 2023 There are no pipes that go all the way to Rio Verde Foothills, so the standpipe serves as the primary way to get water close to the community. Sasha Hupka, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standpipe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of standpipe was in 1728

Dictionary Entries Near standpipe

Cite this Entry

“Standpipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standpipe. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on standpipe

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!