A valve or stopcock designed to release pressure or allow air to escape from a system, especially in plumbing or steam systems.
From 'blow' (to release) + 'cock' (a valve or faucet). A technical term from plumbing and engineering describing pressure-relief mechanisms.
The blowcock is an underappreciated hero of Victorian engineering—in steam systems, it prevents catastrophic explosions by letting excess pressure escape safely, making it an early example of fail-safe design.
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