flood

Meanings

Noun

• A (usually disastrous) overflow of water from a lake or other body of water due to excessive rainfall or other input of water.
• A large number or quantity of anything appearing more rapidly than can easily be dealt with.
• The flowing in of the tide, opposed to the ebb.
• A floodlight.
• Menstrual discharge; menses.
• Water as opposed to land.

Verb

• To overflow, as by water from excessive rainfall.
• To cover or partly fill as if by a flood.
• To provide (someone or something) with a larger number or quantity of something than can easily be dealt with.
• To paste numerous lines of text to (a chat system) in order to disrupt the conversation.
• To bleed profusely, as after childbirth.

Related

Similar words

• overfill
• inundate
• inundate, swamp, deluge

Opposite words

• drain

Origin

• From Middle English flod, from Old English flōd, from Proto-West Germanic *flōdu, from Proto-Germanic *flōduz, from *plew-. Cognate with Scots flude, fluid, Saterland Frisian Floud, Dutch vloed, German Flut, Danish flod, Icelandic flóð, and Gothic 𐍆𐌻𐍉𐌳𐌿𐍃.