26984 words

flood

15 definitions • 30 examples
1
to cause to fill or become covered with water, especially in a way that causes problems:

Examples:

The whole town flooded when the river burst its banks.
be flooded out Several families living by the river were flooded out (= forced to leave their houses because they became covered with water).
2
to fill or enter a place in large numbers or amounts:

Examples:

flood into Donations are flooding into the homeless shelter.
flood in She drew back the curtains and the sunlight came flooding in.
be flooded with He was flooded with (= suddenly felt a lot of) joy when his first child was born.
flood back For Proust, the taste of a madeleine brought childhood memories flooding back (= made him suddenly remember a lot of things).
3
to make goods available in such large numbers that the price falls, or other goods cannot compete:

Examples:

Japanese cars have flooded the market (= a lot of them are on sale).
They have flooded the market with low-cost imports.
4
a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry:

Examples:

After the flood it took weeks for the water level to go down.
in flood The river is in flood (= water has flowed over its banks) again.
5
crying a lot:

Examples:

I found her in floods of tears in the toilets.
6
(in the Bible) a flood sent by God that covered the whole earth as a punishment
7
a large amount or number of something:

Examples:

flood of A flood of cheap imports has come into the country.
8
to fill or become covered with water or to cause this to happen to something:

Examples:

[ T ] A burst pipe flooded the bathroom.
[ I ] The basements of many downtown buildings would flood whenever it rained.
9
to fill or be filled with a large amount or too much of something:

Examples:

[ I always + adv/prep ] Sunlight floods in through a skylight in the ceiling.
[ I always + adv/prep ] In the 1960s, Cuban immigrants began to flood into Florida.
[ T ] We don’t want them to flood the market with cheap imports.
10
If you flood an engine, you fill it with so much fuel that it will not start.
11
a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry:

Examples:

Kingston was heavily damaged by a flood.
12
a large amount or number of something:

Examples:

Planners are hoping for a flood of visitors when the center opens.
He was filled with a flood of new emotions.
13
to enter or leave a place in large numbers or amounts:

Examples:

Record public spending, fueled by high oil prices, is flooding the country's flourishing economy with cash.
Electronic gadgets have flooded the market in recent years.
flood in from somewhere Turnover continues to increase as orders flood in from around the world.
flood into/out of sth Foreign money has been flooding into the London property market for several years now.
14
to send something such as letters, emails, or requests in large numbers to a person or organization:

Examples:

Unwanted email – or spam – is flooding inboxes at an unprecedented rate.
be flooded with orders/requests/calls The phone lines were flooded with calls from worried and angry consumers.
flood sth with sth Overseas students continue to flood colleges with applications for courses.
15
a large number or amount of people or things:

Examples:

Fund managers are surprised how quickly the trickle of money leaving the country has become a flood.
a flood of sth A bumper harvest coupled with a flood of imports have pushed the price of sugar lower.

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