† 1. A building in which water is raised from a river or well into a ‘conduit-head’ or reservoir to be conveyed by means of conduits or pipes for domestic use. Obs.
1681. T. Dineley, Tour Irel., in Trans. Kilkenny Arch. Soc., Ser. II. IV. 105. A delightful Water house adjoining to the Bowling Green, which with an Engine of Curious Artifice by the help of one horse furnisheth all the offices of the Castle with that necessary Element. This Water house hath a pleasant Summer banqueting room.
1691. J. Gibson in Archæologia, XII. 187. And yet they have no water but what is forced from a deep well into a waterhouse, whence they are furnished by pipes at pleasure.
1697. De Foe, Ess. Projects, 24. The Water-houses for supplying of the City of London with Water.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., II. 113. Water-houses or Conduit-heads for the reception of the public water.
1790. Act 30 Geo. III., c 21 § 1. To make, erect, construct, repair, and maintain all such … Water Houses, Reservoirs,… Water Wheels … for raising, forcing, and conveying a sufficient Quantity of Water from the said River Wenson into … the said City [of Norwich].
2. ? A fanciful name for a boat or canoe. rare.
c. 1610. Beaum. & Fl., Scornf. Lady, I. i. The thing by her commanded, is to see Dovers dreadful cliffe, passing in a poor Water-house.
1634. W. Wood, New Eng. Prosp. (1865), 48. There be more Cannowes in this towne than in all the whole Patent; every household having a water-house or two.
1878. Stevenson, Inland Voy., 178. The canal, coming to its last lock, began to discharge its water-houses on the Oise.
