Flood
Pronunciation
- enPR: flÅd, IPA: /flÊŒd/
- Rhymes: -ÊŒd
Alternative forms
- floud obsolete
Origin
From Middle English flod, from Old English flÅd, from Proto-Germanic *flÅduz, from Proto-Indo-European *plÅtus, derived from *pleu- "to flow". Near cognates include Dutch vloed, German Flut, Danish flod, Icelandic flóð, and Gothic
(flÅdus).
Full definition of flood
Noun
flood
(plural floods)- A (usually disastrous) overflow of water from a lake or other body of water due to excessive rainfall or other input of water.
- John Miltona covenant never to destroy the earth again by flood
- 2013-06-29, High and wet, Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale. The early, intense onset of the monsoon on June 14th swelled rivers, washing away roads, bridges, hotels and even whole villages. Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.
- (figuratively) A large number or quantity of anything appearing more rapidly than can easily be dealt with.a flood of complaints
- The flowing in of the tide, opposed to the ebb.
- William ShakespeareThere is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. - A floodlight.
- Menstrual discharge; menses.
Related terms
Verb
- To overflow.
- To cover or partly fill as if by a flood.The floor was flooded with beer.They flooded the room with sewage.
- (figuratively) To provide (someone or something) with a larger number or quantity of something than cannot easily be dealt with.The station's switchboard was flooded with listeners making complaints.
- 2011, October 1, David Ornstein, Blackburn 0 - 4 Man City, Blackburn offered nothing going forward in the opening period and that continued after the break, encouraging City to flood forward.
- (Internet, computing) To paste numerous lines of text to a chat system in order to disrupt the conversation.