cofferdam
[ kaw-fer-dam, kof-er- ]
/ ˈkɔ fərˌdæm, ˈkɒf ər- /
Save This Word!
noun
a watertight enclosure placed or constructed in waterlogged soil or under water and pumped dry so that construction or repairs can proceed under normal conditions.
Nautical. a sealed void between two bulkheads, as for insulation or as an extra barrier to the escape of liquids or vapors.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
Words nearby cofferdam
coffee spoon, coffee table, coffee-table book, coffee tree, coffer, cofferdam, coffered, Coffeyville, coffin, coffin bone, coffin corner
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for cofferdam
British Dictionary definitions for cofferdam
cofferdam
/ (ˈkɒfəˌdæm) /
noun
a watertight structure, usually of sheet piling, that encloses an area under water, pumped dry to enable construction work to be carried out. Below a certain depth a caisson is required
(on a ship) a compartment separating two bulkheads or floors, as for insulation or to serve as a barrier against the escape of gas or oil
Often shortened to: coffer
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