waterworks

1. (treated as singular) Any single facility, such as a filtration plant or pumping station, within such a system.Examples: "She is employed by a waterworks at the outskirts of the city."

2. (figuratively)Examples: "She turned on the waterworks when we told her the old man was dead, but she was asking questions about the will soon enough."figurativelyinformal

3. (figuratively)figurativelyinformal

4. (figuratively)Synonyms: plumbingBritisheuphemisticfiguratively

5. (historical, treated as singular) A hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes; also, an ornamental fountain or waterfall.Examples: "Resolving to possess myself in some quiet if it might be, in a time of so great jealosy, I built by my Brother's permission a study, made a fishpond, an island, and some other solitudes and retirements, at Wotton, which gave the first occasion of improving them to those water-works and gardens which afterwards succeeded them."historical

6. (construction, archaic) Engineering works relating to the conveyance and flow of fluids (principally water), such as the collection and distribution of water, drainage, irrigation, etc.archaic