n. [ Cf. OE. assewer, and asseour, OF. asseour, F. asseoir to seat, to set, L. assidere to sit by; ad + sedere to sit (cf. Sit); or cf. OE. sew pottage, sauce, boiled meat, AS. seáw juice, Skr. su to press out. ] Formerly, an upper servant, or household officer, who set on and removed the dishes at a feast, and who also brought water for the hands of the guests. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then the sewer
Poured water from a great and golden ewer,
That from their hands to a silver caldron ran. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who sews, or stitches. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A small tortricid moth whose larva sews together the edges of a leaf by means of silk; as, the apple-leaf sewer (Phoxopteris nubeculana) [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. sewiere, seuwiere, ultimately fr. L. ex out + a derivative of aqua water; cf. OF. essevour a drain, essever, esseuwer, essiaver, to cause to flow, to drain, to flow, LL. exaquatorium a channel through which water runs off. Cf. Ewer, Aquarium. ] A drain or passage to carry off water and filth under ground; a subterraneous channel, particularly in cities. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The construction of a sewer or sewers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The system of sewers in a city, town, etc.; the general drainage of a city or town by means of sewers. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The material collected in, and discharged by, sewers. [ In this sense sewage is preferable and common. ] [ 1913 Webster ]