a wide, round open container, especially one used for holding liquid, a large or specific area of land, such as a drainage basin

go down the drain, fish in troubled waters, make waves

catchment basin, wash basin, drainage basin

Formal and Informal Expressions of basin

In different contexts, you can replace 'basin' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'container, receptacle' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'bowl, bucket' is a commonplace synonym.

basin: Explore its Definition & Usage

basin Definition

1a wide, round open container, especially one used for holding liquid
2a large or specific area of land, such as a drainage basin

Using basin: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "basin" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
She filled the basin with water to wash her face.
Example
The Amazon River basin is home to many unique species.
Example
The city lies in the basin of a valley.
Example
The basin of the sink was clogged.

basin Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for basin

Antonyms for basin

Idioms Using basin

go down the drain
to be wasted or lost
Example
All of our hard work will go down the drain if we don't meet the deadline.
fish in troubled waters
to take advantage of a difficult situation for personal gain
Example
He's always fishing in troubled waters, trying to profit from other people's misfortunes.
make waves
to cause trouble or controversy
Example
She didn't want to make waves by speaking out against her boss's decision.

Phrases with basin

catchment basin
a structure designed to collect and hold rainwater runoff
Example
The catchment basin overflowed during the heavy rainstorm.
wash basin
a bowl-shaped sink used for washing hands and face
Example
He splashed water on his face in the wash basin.
drainage basin
an area of land where all the water drains into a particular river or lake
Example
The Mississippi River drainage basin covers a large portion of the United States.

Origins of basin

from Old French 'bacin', from bac, meaning 'a boat'

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Summary: basin in Brief

A 'basin' [ˈbeɪsən] is a wide, round container used for holding liquids or a large area of land. It can refer to a catchment basin, a wash basin, or a drainage basin, which is an area where all the water drains into a particular river or lake. Idioms like 'go down the drain' and 'make waves' use 'basin' metaphorically to describe wasted effort or causing trouble.