# bowser

/ˈboʊzɝ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bowser
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. emergency water tank

noun · CEFR C1 · British English

a large, mobile water tank used to give people fresh water when the normal pipes are broken.

For teachers: a mobile water tank deployed to distribute fresh water in emergency situations where the piped distribution system has failed.

- When the main pipe burst, the council sent a bowser to the street so people could fill their buckets.
- Following the contamination of the local reservoir, the utility company dispatched several bowsers to provide the village with a temporary supply of potable water.

Usage: Commonly used in civil engineering and emergency services contexts.

### 2. fuel pump

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Dialect

the machine at a petrol station that measures and pumps fuel into a car.

For teachers: a fuel metering and delivery pump at a filling station.

- He pulled the car up to the bowser and started filling the tank with petrol.
- The service station attendant noted that the third bowser was malfunctioning and required immediate calibration by a technician.

Usage: Primarily used in Australia and New Zealand as the standard term for a petrol pump.

Teaching tip: While understood in the UK as a tank, this specific 'pump' meaning is highly characteristic of Australian and New Zealand English.

### 3. fuel transport vehicle

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a vehicle or trailer used to carry fuel, especially for planes at an airport.

For teachers: a road vehicle or trailer designed for the transport of liquid fuel, particularly aviation fuel at an airfield.

- The aircraft was refuelled by a large bowser on the runway before takeoff.
- Ground crew directed the fuel bowser toward the waiting jet to ensure the tanks were topped up before the long-haul flight.

Usage: Often used in aviation and military logistics.

## Examples

- The emergency crew brought a water bowser to the village.
- After the main pipe burst, the council sent a bowser to provide fresh drinking water to the residents.
- During the drought, farmers relied on a communal bowser to transport water from the reservoir to their parched livestock in the upper fields.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.