From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstopcockstop‧cock /ˈstɒpkɒk $ ˈstɑːpkɑːk/ noun [countable] TBDHa tap that controls the flow of a liquid or gas through a pipe
Examples from the Corpus
stopcock• Cold water plumbing From the householder's main stopcock, the water is taken by the rising main.• It is fitted just above the main stopcock.• The drawing on the opposite page shows a mains stopcock with a draincock fitted above.• A water conditioner is fitted to the rising main just above the mains stopcock.• Those making this journey should ensure that the stopcock is closed and all electrical appliances switched off before departure.• Tillman twisted the stopcock on the bottle of gas that fueled the stove.• It is important that you know where the stopcock is and how to turn it off.• This stopcock may need a special key to turn it on and off. 