ballcock

/ˈbɔlˌkɑk/
noun
  1. A device in a toilet tank or other water tank that uses a floating ball to control the water level by opening or closing a valve.
    • The plumber replaced the old ballcock to stop the toilet from running constantly.
    • I learned how a ballcock works by watching the float rise and shut off the water.
    • When the ballcock gets stuck, the water keeps flowing and can overflow the tank.
What does "ballcock" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean