caisson

[key-suh n, -son] /ˈkeɪ sən, -sɒn/
noun
1.
a structure used in underwater work, consisting of an airtight chamber, open at the bottom and containing air under sufficient pressure to exclude the water.
2.
a boatlike structure used as a gate for a dock or the like.
3.
Nautical.
  1. Also called camel, pontoon. a float for raising a sunken vessel, sunk beside the vessel, made fast to it, and then pumped out to make it buoyant.
  2. a watertight structure built against a damaged area of a hull to render the hull watertight; cofferdam.
4.
a two-wheeled wagon, used for carrying artillery ammunition.
5.
an ammunition chest.
6.
a wooden chest containing bombs or explosives, used formerly as a mine.
7.
Architecture, coffer (def 4).
Origin
1695-1705; < French, Middle French < Old Provençal, equivalent to caissa box (see case2) + -on augmentative suffix
Related forms
caissoned, adjective
Examples from the web for caisson
  • To make an oil-collecting caisson, such a pile would be used as a collar around a funnel-topped tube that would sit over the leak.
  • Once the entire crowd was in place, the pallbearers came to attention and began to remove the casket from the caisson.
  • Also, the timber member at the northwest caisson or cylinder pier was badly decayed.
  • caisson repair work would include the installation of a caisson support floor and of a new seaward-facing wall.
  • Anchors were installed on the bay bottom and cables from the anchors were used to guide the caisson into place.
  • The subsea caisson remnants are comprised of concrete and re-enforcing steel that was previously removed down to solid concrete.
  • Within the enclosed caisson, sediments can be mixed and treatment reagents can be added.
  • Atop the caisson sits a pump house with an intake pipe extending down into the caisson.
  • Upon completion of painting of a caisson the contractor may apply for payment for that element.
  • One gun and caisson with limbers, made up a platoon under a sergeant and two corporals.
British Dictionary definitions for caisson

caisson

/kəˈsuːn; ˈkeɪsən/
noun
1.
a watertight chamber open at the bottom and containing air under pressure, used to carry out construction work under water
2.
a similar unpressurized chamber
3.
a watertight float filled with air, used to raise sunken ships See also camel (sense 2)
4.
a watertight structure placed across the entrance of a basin, dry dock, etc, to exclude water from it
5.
  1. a box containing explosives, formerly used as a mine
  2. an ammunition chest
  3. a two-wheeled vehicle containing an ammunition chest
6.
another name for coffer (sense 3)
Word Origin
C18: from French, assimilated to caissecase²
Word Origin and History for caisson
n.

1704, from French caisson "ammunition wagon, box, crate," from Middle French caisson "large box" (16c.), from Italian cassone, augmentative form of cassa "a chest," from Latin capsa "a box" (see case (n.2)).