sump
noun
ˈsəmp 
1
: a pit or reservoir serving as a drain or receptacle for liquids: such as
a
: cesspool
b
: a pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (such as the oil-circulating system of an internal combustion engine)
c
chiefly British : oil pan
2
British : crankcase
3
[German Sumpf, literally, marsh, from Middle High German — more at swamp]
a
: the lowest part of a mine shaft into which water drains
b
: an excavation ahead of regular work in driving a mine tunnel or sinking a mine shaft
4
: something resembling a sump : sink sense 2
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Tire and suspension changes loom large here, but Jeep also has lowered the engine in the chassis by some 1.5 inches via the use of a new oil pan that allows the front axles to pass through the sump. 
Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 16 Mar. 2022 Trigui kicked open the cabin door and walked over to the sump, where mud pumped up from the drill face was pooling. William Ralston, Wired, 16 Dec. 2021 Check sump pumps regularly during spring and heavy rains, and replace them as needed to avoid a water backup. Nicole Haase, Journal Sentinel, 21 July 2022 Normally, a refrigerator's compressor pulls oil from a sump, or a low space where liquids pool due to gravity. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 14 June 2021 The gorgeous model features its original incline-6 engine with Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication. Kyle Schnitzer, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 2022 Mechanically, of course, the cars are identical, with a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V-10 with dry-sump lubrication and an 8400-rpm redline; a six-speed manual transaxle; a twin-plate ceramic clutch; and rear-wheel drive. Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 19 Jan. 2022 The first level is a 1,700-gallon sump pit and pump that connects to a 7,300-gallon outdoor storage tank. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2022 As with the platform, Maserati engineers took a clean-sheet approach when designing MC20’s power plant to create a dry sump engine that's wholly unique to the brand. Bradley Iger, Ars Technica, 26 Jan. 2022 See More
Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 16 Mar. 2022 Trigui kicked open the cabin door and walked over to the sump, where mud pumped up from the drill face was pooling. William Ralston, Wired, 16 Dec. 2021 Check sump pumps regularly during spring and heavy rains, and replace them as needed to avoid a water backup. Nicole Haase, Journal Sentinel, 21 July 2022 Normally, a refrigerator's compressor pulls oil from a sump, or a low space where liquids pool due to gravity. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 14 June 2021 The gorgeous model features its original incline-6 engine with Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication. Kyle Schnitzer, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 2022 Mechanically, of course, the cars are identical, with a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V-10 with dry-sump lubrication and an 8400-rpm redline; a six-speed manual transaxle; a twin-plate ceramic clutch; and rear-wheel drive. Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 19 Jan. 2022 The first level is a 1,700-gallon sump pit and pump that connects to a 7,300-gallon outdoor storage tank. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2022 As with the platform, Maserati engineers took a clean-sheet approach when designing MC20’s power plant to create a dry sump engine that's wholly unique to the brand. Bradley Iger, Ars Technica, 26 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English sompe swamp — more at swamp
First Known Use
1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1