Hydrant

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Hydrant

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

HY-drunt  /ˈhaɪdrənt/

Definition

A pipe fitted to a water main with a valve and nozzle to which a hose can be attached, used especially for firefighting; a fire hydrant.

Plain meaning

A hydrant is a connection point to the water supply system — a pipe sticking up from the ground with a valve that can be opened to release water at high pressure. Fire hydrants are the most familiar type — the red or yellow standpipes that fire engines connect their hoses to. There are also garden hydrants and industrial hydrants.

Register

Technical in engineering contexts; neutral in everyday usage. Fire hydrant is the most common compound. The informal expression fire plug (American English) reflects an earlier technology in which a wooden plug was inserted into water supply pipes and removed for firefighting.