Etymology
Origin of holding tank
First recorded in 1970–75
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.
He believes high levels of gas were produced in the holding tank that exploded, which may have been ignited by a spark on the day of the incident.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2025
“County jail will just become a holding tank for people who desperately need treatment,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024
Another detail the woman who turned us away never heard is that Clyde's birthday, listed on the name tag taped to his holding tank, is two days after RayRay's death.
From Salon • Dec. 6, 2024
This low-activity waste is pumped to a separate holding tank that then is pumped into another tank for mixing.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 25, 2024
I didn’t know the exact size of the Coral Queen’s holding tank, but I guessed it carried a couple hundred gallons of waste.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
