Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
a. of the nature of things discussed around a water-cooler n. 1 A dispenser of cooled drinking water. 2 (context figuratively English) A place in the workplace where employees gossip.
WordNet
n. a device for cooling and dispensing drinking water
Wikipedia
A water cooler or water dispenser is a device that cools and dispenses water. They are generally broken up in two categories: bottleless and bottled water coolers. Bottleless water coolers are hooked up to a water supply, while bottled water coolers require delivery (or self-pick-up) of water in large bottles from vendors.
Water cooler may also refer to a primitive device for keeping water cool.
Usage examples of "water cooler".
She waited until seventeen-forty-five before deliberately misfiling a file the general had mentioned at lunch and heading for the water cooler, which was conveniently over in CID.
The office beside the conference room had the water cooler and Beed's paper equipment.
I added kindling until I had a small, hot fire, then filled the coffee pot from the brass spigot at the bottom of the tall ceramic water cooler and set it on the stove to boil.
Tibbitt stopped for a coughing spell, and Qwilleran rushed to the water cooler for a cup of water.
I have some sodas in a cooler in the shack there if you want them and there's a water cooler back there, too.
We got a silver water cooler with silver cups that's going to stand on a fancy wooden table, and we got a grand piano, and brand new velvet chairs, and real linen tablecloths.
On the small table by the door stood a carved box, an ornamental water cooler of porous clay, a folded napkin, a cup, and a small spoon carved of seabone.
They look the same in every hotel: chrome & glass rental furniture, extension telephones, and a water cooler.
At the water cooler, he glugged down cup after cup as he tracked the movements of his associates.
He waved a finger under Sam's nose, then turned and walked to the water cooler.
There was a water cooler in the corner and a couple of lounge chairs, patched and dirty.
He decided to give himself a moment to stand and head out of his office to the nearest water cooler, which was tucked in his secretary's office.
Anna crossed to the water cooler, neatly extracted two paper cups, walked gracefully around the table and handed them to Dan and Maura.