Scuttlebutt [\SKUHT-l-buht\] , noun:
1. A drinking fountain on a ship.
2.A cask on a ship that contains the day's supply of drinking water.
3. Informal. Gossip; rumor.
My Sentence:
In my memory, the scuttlebutt we used was made of clay fitted with tap. We fetched water from the well to fill this earthenware scuttlebutt. Water tasted fresh and cool.
Origin:
Scuttlebutt comes from scuttle, "a small opening" + butt, "a large cask" -- that is, a small hole cut into a cask or barrel to allow individual cups of water to be drawn out. The modern equivalent is the office water cooler, also a source of refreshment and gossip.
Source: Dictionary
