flood

flood1 [ flʌd ] verb **

▸ 1 when water covers something

▸ 2 arrive in large numbers

▸ 3 when light fills place

▸ 4 about engine

▸ 5 suddenly start to cry

▸ 6 when face turns red

▸ 7 feel emotion strongly

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive if water floods a place, it covers it:

Water burst through the dam and flooded local villages.

The ground floor of the house was flooded.

a ) intransitive to become covered or filled with water:

Ten years ago the valley flooded.

b ) intransitive if a river floods, water rises up over its edges and covers the land around it

c ) intransitive if water floods somewhere, it flows there quickly and in large amounts:

flood in/out/down etc.: Water was flooding in through the back door.

2. ) intransitive or transitive if people or things flood somewhere, they go there or arrive there in large numbers:

flood into/out of/across etc.: Calls have been flooding into our office from worried parents.

Refugees are flooding out of the capital.

be flooded with something: The TV station was flooded with complaints.

3. ) intransitive or transitive if light floods into a place or floods a place, the place becomes filled with bright light:

Pale sunshine flooded the classroom.

flood into/out of/through: I opened the curtains and light flooded into the room.

be flooded with something: Suddenly the house was flooded with moonlight.

4. ) intransitive or transitive if you flood an engine or it floods, too much fuel goes into it and it will not start

5. ) intransitive or transitive MAINLY LITERARY if tears flood your eyes or your eyes flood with tears, you suddenly start to cry

6. ) intransitive or transitive MAINLY LITERARY if color floods your face or cheeks or your face floods with color, your face suddenly turns red because you feel a strong emotion

7. ) intransitive or transitive MAINLY LITERARY if an emotion floods through you or you are flooded with an emotion, you suddenly feel it strongly:

Relief flooded through him.

flood the market

to make such a large number of goods or services available for sale that they cannot all be sold and the price falls:

Cheap imported goods are flooding the market.

,flood `back phrasal verb intransitive

if memories or feelings flood back, you suddenly remember them very clearly:

When he told me his name, it all came flooding back.

,flood `out phrasal verb transitive usually passive

if people are flooded out, their home becomes filled with water and they are forced to leave

flood

flood 2 [ flʌd ] noun **

1. ) count or uncount a large amount of water that covers an area that was dry before:

Florida has been badly hit by floods.

Ambulances could not get through the floods.

After three weeks the flood waters finally receded.

a ) the Flood in the Bible, the occasion when God covered the earth with water to punish people

2. ) count a large number of people or things that move somewhere or arrive somewhere at the same time:

flood of: The border areas are trying to cope with a flood of refugees.

We received a flood of letters protesting against the change.

a ) a large number of things that happen at the same time:

flood of: This year has seen a flood of new consumer legislation.

3. ) count a flood of light is a strong light that fills a place

4. ) count a flood of memories or feelings is a lot of strong memories or feelings that suddenly affect you:

The song brought back a flood of memories.

in floods of tears MAINLY BRITISH

crying a lot:

She rushed out of the room in floods of tears.