standpipe

[ stand-pahyp ]

noun

1. a vertical pipe or tower into which water is pumped to obtain a required head.
2. a water pipe for supplying the fire hoses of a building, connected with the water supply of the building and usually with a siamese outside the building.

standpipe

/ ˈstændˌpaɪp /

noun

1. a vertical pipe, open at the upper end, attached to a pipeline or tank serving to limit the pressure head to that of the height of the pipe
2. a temporary freshwater outlet installed in a street during a period when household water supplies are cut off

Word History and Origins

Origin of standpipe¹

First recorded in 1840–50; stand + pipe ¹

Example Sentences

“I chase a mirage of validation,” Hardin writes as he considers both his role as a human standpipe and his mother’s thorny love.

From Washington Post

The mixing chamber and valve chamber were one and the standpipe or jet protruded into the mixing chamber.

From Project Gutenberg

I always measure things by that six hundred dollars, just as I measure high buildings by the Moonstone standpipe.

From Project Gutenberg

The service rendered by the standpipe is similar to that of the air cushion discussed in Section 184.

From Project Gutenberg

The standpipe is simply a large vertical tube connected to the water mains from which and into which water readily flows.

From Project Gutenberg

Two common devices for controlling sudden changes in the water pressure are the standpipe and the air cushion.

From Project Gutenberg