water pump

[ˈwɔːtər pʌmp]
nounpl: water pumps
bomba d'água
1. A mechanical device that moves water from one place to another using pressure or suction
The water pump in the engine circulates coolant to prevent overheating.
A bomba d'água do motor circula o líquido de arrefecimento para evitar superaquecimento.
2. A device used to draw water from a well, reservoir, or other source for domestic or agricultural use
They installed a new water pump to supply water to the farm.
Eles instalaram uma nova bomba d'água para abastecer a fazenda.
3. A manual or electric device used to dispense water
The village residents gathered water from the public water pump.
Os moradores da aldeia recolhiam água da bomba d'água pública.
Water pumps are essential infrastructure in both Brazilian and American contexts. In rural Brazil and the northeastern region (sertão), manual water pumps are historically significant and represent resilience in areas with water scarcity. In the US, water pumps are critical components of automotive and industrial infrastructure. The phrase 'prime the pump' has entered common usage as a metaphor for initiating economic activity.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
pumpcentrifugal pumphydraulic pumpsubmersible pump

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
bomba d'água
Standard term used throughout Brazil for any water pumping device
Rio de Janeiro
bomba d'água
No regional variation; same as general Brazilian
São Paulo
bomba d'água
No regional variation; same as general Brazilian
Portugal
bomba de água
Portuguese variant uses 'de' instead of d'água; otherwise identical meaning

Related Words

pumpwater systemirrigationcoolantplumbingwell

Related Idioms & Phrases

to prime the pump - to start or stimulate activity (bombar a bomba)
pump and dump - to hype something then abandon it (not directly related to water pumps)
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