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Origin and history of sewer

sewer(n.1)

c. 1400, seuer, "conduit, trench, or ditch used for drainage" (of surface water or marshland), from Anglo-French sewere (early 14c.), Old North French sewiere "sluice from a pond" (13c.), literally "something that makes water flow." From late 13c. in surnames (Robertus Atte Suor). Also compare Anglo-Latin sewera, suera. These are from a shortened form of Gallo-Roman *exaquaria (source of Old French esseveur), from Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + aquaria, fem. of aquarius "pertaining to water," from aqua "water" (from PIE root *akwa- "water"). For form evolution, compare ewer, from Latin aquarius.

After c. 1600 the sense of "underground channel for wastewater" emerged and predomination, especially "a public drain; a conduit or canal constructed to carry off waste water, etc." Figurative use of this is from 1640s. Sewer rat, the common brown rat when infesting sewers, is from 1861.

also from c. 1400

sewer(n.2)

"one who sews or uses the needle," late 14c., agent noun from sew (v.). Seuestre "seamstress" is attested from mid-14c. (late 13c. as a surname) and also was used of men.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to sewer

ewer(n.)

"water pitcher with a wide spout," early 14c., from Anglo-French *ewiere, Old French eviere "water pitcher," parallel form of aiguiere (Modern French aiguière), from fem. of Latin aquarius "of or for water," as a noun, "water-carrier" (see aquarium).

sew(v.)

"unite or attach (fabric, etc.) by means of thread or similar material, with or without aid of a needle or awl;" Middle English seuen, from Old English siwian "to stitch, sew, mend, patch, knit together, fasten by sewing," earlier siowian, from Proto-Germanic *siwjanan (source also of Old Norse syja, Swedish sy, Danish sye, Old Frisian sia, Old High German siuwan, Gothic siujan "to sew"), from PIE root *syu- "to bind, sew."

From c. 1200 as "produce or construct (clothing, a garment) by means of a needle and thread." The intransitive sense of "work with a needle or thread, practice sewing" is by mid-15c. Related: Sewed; sewing. Sewn is a modern variant past-participle.

To sew up (a wound, etc.) "close by stitching the edges together" is by late 15c. (Caxton); the modern colloquial sew (something) up "bring to a desired conclusion" is a figurative use attested by 1904.