flʌd n. & v. --n. 1 a an overflowing or
influx of
water beyond its normal confines,
esp.
over land; an inundation. b
the water
that overflows. 2 a an
outpouring of water; a
torrent (a flood of rain). b
something resembling a torrent (a flood of tears; a flood of relief). 3 the
inflow of the
tide (also in
comb. : flood-tide). 4 colloq. a
floodlight. 5 (the Flood) the flood described in
Genesis. 6
poet. a
river; a
stream; a
sea. --v. 1 tr. a
cover with or
overflow in a flood (rain flooded the cellar). b overflow as if with a flood (the
market was flooded with
foreign goods). 2 tr.
irrigate (flooded the
paddy fields). 3 tr.
deluge (a
burning house, a mine, etc.) with water. 4 intr. (often foll. by
in, through)
arrive in
great quantities (complaints flooded in;
fear flooded
through them). 5 intr.
become inundated (the
bathroom flooded). 6 tr.
overfill (a carburettor) with
petrol. 7 intr.
experience a
uterine haemorrhage. 8 tr. (of
rain etc.)
fill (a river) to overflowing. øflood
and field sea and land. flood
out drive out (of one's
home etc.) with a flood. flood-tide the
periodical exceptional rise of the tide
because of
lunar or
solar attraction. [OE flod f. Gmc]
