Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A gate designed to be opened to permit the outflow of water, or to be shut to prevent it; hence, any opening or opportunity for indiscriminate flow or passage; a great vent.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Alternative spelling of
floodgate .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word flood-gate.
Examples
-
The impressive results opened a flood-gate of bids, rocketing Treasury prices into gains following the auction.
Treasury Prices Surge After Strong Note Sale Cynthia Lin 2011
-
Preachers with pulpits full of confused and mourning Americans opened a flood-gate of condemnation against pot-smoking, atheist, radical hippies and all "suspicious acting and looking" people who could conveniently be lumped in with them.
Rev. Dr. Cindi Love: Forty Years of Fear: Kent State in Retrospect Rev. Dr. Cindi Love 2010
-
The instant he had done so, the affrighted janitor fled, like one who has drawn the bolts of a flood-gate, and expects to be overwhelmed by the rushing inundation.
The Abbot 2008
-
French principles in public or private life — and, if women were allowed to plead their feelings, as an excuse or palliation of infidelity, it was opening a flood-gate for immorality.
-
Meeting his gaze, she unbarred a flood-gate of happy tenderness in her eyes.
Hilda A Story of Calcutta Sara Jeannette Duncan
-
It is almost impossible to believe that human nature can endure such hardships and sufferings as the slaves have to go through: I have seen them driven into a ditch in a rice swamp to bail out the water, in order to put down a flood-gate, when they had to break the ice, and there stand in the water among the ice until it was bailed out.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Part 3 of 4 American Anti-Slavery Society
-
It is almost impossible to believe that human nature can endure such hardships and sufferings as the slaves have to go through: I have seen them driven into a ditch in a rice swamp to bail out the water, in order to put down a flood-gate, when they had to break the ice, and there stand in the water among the ice until it was bailed out.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus American Anti-Slavery Society
-
Each field has a small flood-gate called a "trunk" ....
A Woman Rice Planter 1914
-
Each field has a small flood-gate, called a "trunk."
A Woman Rice Planter 1914
-
The pathos of her appearance opened a very flood-gate of tears, which I could not check.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.