It was considered dÃ©classÃ© to refer to one's own townhouses, estates or villas (or those of friends) as mansions and modern etiquette books still advise that the terms house, big house or great house be used instead.
Waste weir. A waste weir on a navigable canal is a slatted gate on each canal level or pound, to remove excess water and to drain the canal for repairs or for the winter shutdown.
The noun WEIR has 2 senses: 1. a low dam built across a stream to raise its level or divert its flow. 2. a fence or wattle built across a stream to catch or retain fish. Familiarity information: WEIR used as a noun is rare.