Meaning & use
S-bend
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
a section of pipe shaped like the letter S, used to stop bad smells from coming back up
Grammar: Countable: you can say a S-bend or two S-bends.
Patterns
- a S-bend in a pipe
- fit an S-bend
- under the S-bend
The plumber fitted an S-bend under the sink to keep the drain smell out.
A blocked S-bend can cause water to rise in the shower.
The new building uses an S-bend in every waste pipe.
nouncountable
a sharp double curve in a road, river, or path
Grammar: Countable and often used with in: an S-bend in the road.
Patterns
- an S-bend in the road
- come to an S-bend
- drive around an S-bend
The mountain road has a dangerous S-bend near the top.
We slowed down as we approached the S-bend by the lake.
The river makes a wide S-bend before it reaches the sea.
Word forms
| plural | S-bends |
|---|
Common combinations
- fit an S-bend
- The plumber had to fit an S-bend to stop the smell.
- a blocked S-bend
- A blocked S-bend was causing the water to back up.
- an S-bend in the road
- There is an S-bend in the road just after the bridge.
- under the S-bend
- The leak was under the S-bend, so we called a plumber.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: S-bend or U-bend?
S-bend vs U-bend
A U-bend is shaped like the letter U, not S. Both are used in pipes to block smells, but the shapes are different.
Practice
The plumber put an S-bend under the sink to stop the bad smell from coming back up.
Choose one answer.
An S-bend is a curved pipe that traps water and blocks smells. A straight pipe would let smells through, and a tap or a cutting tool is not a pipe.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “S-bend”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.