"In those days, grist mills were powered by water engines, wind engines, or horse engines."
2.NounAn engine to raise water, often for mine drainage.
"In the earliest years after James Watt developed his steam engine, most of the capital that bought his engines came from mine owners who used them to power water engines for mine drainage."
3.NounA machine for extinguishing fires with water.
"In 1887, several businesses in this town pooled the funds necessary to buy a state-of-the-art water engine and a large new set of leather buckets for the bucket brigade."