1. A natural hole or hollow containing water
   "During the drought, animals gathered at the shrinking watering hole";
   - water hole
    
2. [informal] A building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
   "the watering hole was packed tight"; "The locals gathered at the watering hole every Friday evening";
   - tavern, tap house [archaic], public house [Brit], pub [Brit, Cdn], saloon [Brit], pothouse [archaic], gin mill [N. Amer, informal], taphouse [archaic], inn [Brit], groggery [US, archaic], boozer [Brit, informal]
    
3. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside
   "They spent their summer vacation at a popular watering hole on the coast";
   - watering place, spa

Derived forms: watering holes

Type of: building, edifice, playground, pond, pool, resort area, vacation spot

Encyclopedia: Watering hole