Hypertext Webster Gateway: "cistern"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Cistern
the rendering of a Hebrew word _bor_, which means a receptacle
for water conveyed to it; distinguished from _beer_, which
denotes a place where water rises on the spot (Jer. 2:13; Prov.
5:15; Isa. 36:16), a fountain. Cisterns are frequently mentioned
in Scripture. The scarcity of springs in Palestine made it
necessary to collect rain-water in reservoirs and cisterns (Num.
21:22). (See {WELL}.)
Empty cisterns were sometimes used as prisons (Jer. 38:6; Lam.
3:53; Ps. 40:2; 69:15). The "pit" into which Joseph was cast
(Gen. 37:24) was a _beer_ or dry well. There are numerous
remains of ancient cisterns in all parts of Palestine.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Cistern \Cis"tern\, n. [OE. cisterne, OF. cisterne, F. cisterne,
fr. L. cisterna, fr. cista box, chest. See {Cist}, and cf.
{chest}.]
1. An artificial reservoir or tank for holding water, beer,
or other liquids.
2. A natural reservoir; a hollow place containing water.
``The wide cisterns of the lakes.'' --Blackmore.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
cistern
n 1: a sac or cavity containing fluid especially lymph or
cerebrospinal fluid [syn: {cisterna}]
2: a tank that holds the water used to flush a toilet [syn: {water
tank}]
3: an artificial reservoir for storing liquids; especially an
underground tank for storing rainwater
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