water cooler

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noun

a container for holding drinking water that is cooled and drawn off by a faucet or spigot.

a drinking fountain in which water is cooled by mechanical refrigeration.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of water cooler

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Words nearby water cooler

water closet, water clover, watercolor, watercolour, water-cool, water cooler, watercourse, watercraft, water crake, watercress, water cure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use water cooler in a sentence

Having these regular meetups in your calendar is a way to “simulate the water cooler moments where you just kind of bump into each other and you just have a conversation that’s not related to work,” Franco says.
How to Stay Social When You Never See Your Work Friends|Anna Goldfarb|March 1, 2021|Time
It fostered conversations around office water coolers, over garden fences, and in supermarket aisles, as the Bunker household became a televised petri dish in which to observe and learn about the issues upending American society.
How a Foulmouthed Bigot Named Archie Bunker Charmed—and Changed—America|Daniel S. Levy|February 9, 2021|Time
The in-person networking, deal inking and water cooler talk will be hard to recreate but not impossible, he said.
Marketers, agency execs expect deal making to continue at CES, despite the virtual venue|Kimeko McCoy|January 8, 2021|Digiday
The typical water cooler moments that most have missed have been even more keenly felt by Laven.
Remote working spotlights neurodiversity challenges|Jessica Davies|December 21, 2020|Digiday

So the discussions that used to happen over a water cooler don’t even happen over a water cooler anymore.
Building connections between siloed channels, technologies and teams|Sponsored Content: Integrate|November 11, 2020|Search Engine Land
If 2014 was any indication, the coming TV schedule is sure to be filled with plenty of water-cooler shows.
Four TV Shows We Can’t Wait to Return In 2015|DISH|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A bottle of locally brewed liquor chills in a water cooler in the corner, a Pepsi bottle next to it for mixing.
Obama’s Deadly Informants: The Drone Spotters of Pakistan|Umar Farooq, Syed Fakhar Kakakhel|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“My ideal is that this conversation happens at the water cooler,” Tambor says.
Jeffrey Tambor Is One Helluva Woman: Inside His Phenomenal Turn in ‘Transparent’|Kevin Fallon|September 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All likely had some uncomfortable small talk to make at the water cooler when they got back.
How Awkward Will Isaiah Washington’s Return to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Be?|Marina Watts|March 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If all of it was true, Stratford Oakmont must have had some of the most awkward water-cooler talks in corporate history.
The Real Wolf of Wall Street: Jordan Belfort’s Vulgar Memoirs|Jimmy So|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He got up, lurching to the motion of the flying train, and started forward to the water cooler behind the car door.
The Escape of Mr. Trimm|Irvin S. Cobb
He went to the water cooler, filled the glass with cold water and presented it to the young lady.
Fred Fearnot's New Ranch|Hal Standish
After a copious raid on the water-cooler, Theodora returned, feeling a little bloated, but much more composed and natural.
Atlantic Narratives|Mary Antin
At his side lay the torso of the young reporter, his head mashed by the heavy water-cooler.
The Promise|James B. Hendryx
In getting a small boat see that it is a "water cooler," as an air-cooler will run a few minutes and stop, as the piston swells.
The houseboat book|William F. Waugh

British Dictionary definitions for water cooler

water cooler

noun

a device for cooling and dispensing drinking water

adjective water-cooler

informal

indicating the kind of informal conversation among office staff that takes place at such a dispenserwater-cooler conversations
indicating an event, television programme, etc, sufficiently controversial or otherwise noteworthy to provide subject matter for such conversationswater-cooler television; a water-cooler moment

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

water cooler

Origin of water cooler

Words nearby water cooler

Words related to water cooler

How to use water cooler in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for water cooler