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Definition of "hand-pump" [hand-pump]

  • A pump worked by hand. (noun)
  • Formerly, in locomotive engines, a pump placed at the side of the firebox, worked by a hand-lever when the engine stood with steam up. This pump has been superseded by injectors, etc., driven by the machinery of the locomotive. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

Use "hand-pump" in a sentence
  • "Nearby stood a brawny attendant, who operated a hand-pump that made the contraption turn around."
  • "The hand-pump splitter is a cute little machine that uses a standard hydraulic car or truck jack to split wood."
  • "When the engine was stopped, we found it was sufficient to take a ten minutes 'turn at the hand-pump every morning; that was all the "leaking" amounted to."