water hammer

2 definitions found

water hammer - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Water hammer \Wa"ter ham"mer\ (Physics)
     1. A vessel partly filled with water, exhausted of air, and
        hermetically sealed. When reversed or shaken, the water
        being unimpeded by air, strikes the sides in solid mass
        with a sound like that of a hammer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A concussion, or blow, made by water in striking, as
        against the sides of a pipe or vessel containing it.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A metal hammer used when heated, as by dipping in hot
        water, to blister the skin, as for counterritation.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

water hammer - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  water hammer
      n 1: the banging sound of steam in pipes