swalletn.
/ˈswɒlɪt/ local. (south-western)
An underground stream of water such as breaks in upon miners at work. Also (in full, swallet hole), the opening through which a stream disappears underground. Cf. swallow n.2 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > underground
swallet1668
katavothron1820
under-runner1921
the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hole or pit > [noun] > pot-hole or swallow-hole
water sink1553
swallow1610
swallow-hole1660
estuary1665
swallet1668
cockpit1683
sinkhole1772
sink1791
pot1797
water-swallow1811
shake-hole1823
pothole1826
fleet-hole1839
spout hole1849
katavothron1869
ponor1890
sump1951
1668 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 3 769 If they find a Swallet, they drive an Adit upon Levell, till 'tis dry.
1768 A. Catcott Treat. Deluge (ed. 2) iii. 356 The collateral conduits of the swallet-holes, leading down into one great unfathomable cavity in the bowels of the earth.
1778 W. Pryce Mineralogia Cornubiensis 84 The larger submarine gulphs or swallets.
1856 S. Hughes Waterworks 133 Swallet holes and subterranean rivers..in the district of Gower and in the Mendip hills.
1865 Reader Jan. 7 This stream is known to commence its subterranean journey about two miles off, where it enters a ‘swallet.’
1910 Spectator 8 Jan. 47/1 Mendip [has]..underground springs and rivers..faintly indicated by the countless swallets that pit the surface of the hills.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1918; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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