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petcock

American  
[pet-kok] / ˈpɛtˌkɒk /
Or pet cock

noun

  1. a small valve or faucet, as for draining off excess or waste material from the cylinder of a steam engine or an internal-combustion engine.

petcock British  
/ ˈpɛtˌkɒk /

noun

  1. a small valve for checking the water level in a steam boiler or draining condensed steam from the cylinder of a steam engine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of petcock

1860–65; pet, perhaps < French pet ( see petard) + cock 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

MISSES: The only step in the installation process that annoyed us was having to drain the fuel tank, as the kit requires you to spin your petcock 180 degrees in the tank.

From Time Magazine Archive

Works Connection has been producing the best radiator braces available for years now, and the braces for the new Suzuki RM-Z450 even feature a petcock relocating bracket.

From Time Magazine Archive

At the same time, they addressed the petcock placement issue and have come out with a must-have kit for all RM-Z450 owners.

From Time Magazine Archive

When the petcock is relocated, the fuel line is rerouted up and over the carburetor, making the hot start and choke knobs on the carburetor much, much easier to access.

From Time Magazine Archive

With the turn of a petcock, there came another hiss.

From Beyond The Thunder by Hickey, H. B.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.