different between cavern vs sinkhole

English

Etymology

From Middle English caverne, from Old French caverne, from Latin caverna, from cavus (“hollow”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: k?v'?n, IPA^(key): /?kæv.?n/
• (General American) enPR: k?v'?rn, IPA^(key): /?kæv.?n/
• Rhymes: -æv?(?)n

Noun

cavern (plural caverns)

1. A large cave.
2. An underground chamber.

Derived terms

• cavernous

Translations

Verb

cavern (third-person singular simple present caverns, present participle caverning, simple past and past participle caverned)

1. (transitive) To form a cavern or deep depression in.

   catacombs caverning the hillsides

2. (transitive) To put into a cavern.

Anagrams

• Craven, carven, craven

English

Alternative forms

• sink hole, sink-hole

Etymology

From Middle English sinkehole, sinkeholl, equivalent to sink +? hole.

Noun

sinkhole (plural sinkholes)

1. (geology) A hole formed in soluble rock by the action of water, serving to conduct surface water to an underground passage

   Synonyms: cenote, doline, dolina, (Britain) kettle hole, shakehole, (Britain) sink, (Britain) swallet, swallow hole

2. A depressed area in which waste or drainage collects.
3. (pinball) A hole in the playfield that rewards the player when the ball is guided into it.
   • 1997, Windows magazine (volume 8, issues 1-3)

     Pro Pinball is as authentic as pinball has ever been on the PC. It's all here, from the ramps, bumpers and sinkholes to the satisfying "clack" when you make the high-score list.

4. (Internet) A domain name server that has been configured to hand out non-routeable addresses for all domains, so that every computer that uses it will fail to get access to the real website.
5. (computer security) An attack which redirects requests - be it network or memory accesses - to a new location defined by the attacker.

Translations

Verb

sinkhole (third-person singular simple present sinkholes, present participle sinkholing, simple past and past participle sinkholed)

1. (Internet, transitive) To configure as a sinkhole (domain name server that gives non-routeable addresses).