Cesspit vs. Sump

Cesspitnoun

A cesspool; a pit or covered cistern used to collect sewage and waste water.

Sumpnoun

A hollow or pit into which liquid drains, such as a cesspool, cesspit or sink.

Cesspitnoun

a covered cistern; waste water and sewage flow into it

Sumpnoun

The lowest part of a mineshaft into which water drains.

Cesspit

A cesspit (or cesspool or soak pit in some contexts), is a term with various meanings: it is used to describe either an underground holding tank (sealed at the bottom) or a soak pit (not sealed at the bottom). It can be used for the temporary collection and storage of feces, excreta or fecal sludge as part of an on-site sanitation system and has some similarities with septic tanks or with soak pits.

Sumpnoun

A completely flooded cave passage, sometimes passable by diving.

Sumpnoun

(automotive) The crankcase or oil reservoir of an internal combustion engine.

Sumpnoun

(nautical) The pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (FM 55-501).

Sumpnoun

(construction) An intentional depression around a drain or scupper that promotes drainage.

Sumpverb

(intransitive) Of a cave passage, to end in a sump, or to fill completely with water on occasion.

‘We discovered a new passage, but it sumped after 100 metres.’; ‘This low passage sumps quickly after moderate rainfall.’;

Sumpnoun

A round pit of stone, lined with clay, for receiving the metal on its first fusion.

Sumpnoun

The cistern or reservoir made at the lowest point of a mine, from which is pumped the water which accumulates there.

Sumpnoun

A pond of water for salt works.

Sumpnoun

A puddle or dirty pool.

Sumpnoun

an oil reservoir in an internal combustion engine

Sumpnoun

a well or other hole in which water has collected

Sumpnoun

a covered cistern; waste water and sewage flow into it

Sump

A sump (American English and some parts of Canada: oil pan) is a low space that collects often undesirable liquids such as water or chemicals. A sump can also be an infiltration basin used to manage surface runoff water and recharge underground aquifers.