—flood /flʌd/
noun (WATER)
B1 [C or U] a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry:
» After the flood it took weeks for the water level to go down.» The river is in flood (= water has flowed over its banks) again.Thesaurus+: ↑Floods, tides and currentsin floods of tears UKF0 crying a lot:
» I found her in floods of tears in the toilets.Thesaurus+: ↑Weeping and cryingthe FloodF0 (in the Bible) a flood sent by God that covered the whole Earth as a punishment
Thesaurus+: ↑The Bible - people, events and places• • •
Extra Examples:» The recent flood has swept away the footbridge.» You should check your policy to see if you're covered for flood damage.» After the flood, nothing remained of the village.» The floods left thousands of people destitute.» People living in low-lying areas were evacuated because of the floods.noun [C] (LARGE AMOUNT)
► C2 a large amount or number of something: » A flood of cheap imports has come into the country.Thesaurus+: ↑Masses and large amounts of thingsverb [I usually + adv/prep, T] (ARRIVE) ↑Verb Endings for flood
► B2 to fill or enter a place in large numbers or amounts: » Donations are flooding into the appeal office.» She drew back the curtains and the sunlight came flooding in.» Japanese cars have flooded the market (= a lot of them are on sale).» He was flooded with (= suddenly felt a lot of) joy when his first child was born.» For Proust, the taste of a madeleine brought childhood memories flooding back (= made him suddenly remember a lot of things).Thesaurus+: ↑Filling and completing• • •
Extra Examples:» Wearing scarves and hats which proclaimed their allegiance, the football fans flooded into the bar.» There are few jobs for the peasants who have flooded into the cities from the poverty-stricken countryside in search of work.» Offers of help have been flooding in since news of the disaster first emerged.» Messages of support have been flooding in since she announced her decision to stand for president.» Memories of childhood flooded back as she looked through the photographs.verb [I or T] (COVER WITH WATER) ↑Verb Endings for flood
► B1 to cause to fill or become covered with water, especially in a way that causes problems: » Our washing machine broke down yesterday and flooded the kitchen.» The whole town flooded when the river burst its banks.» Several families living by the river were flooded out (= forced to leave their houses because they became covered with water).Thesaurus+: ↑Floods, tides and currentsThesaurus+: ↑Enclosing, surrounding and immersing• • •
Extra Examples:» When the river flooded, the footbridge was swept away.» The river burst its banks and flooded the surrounding fields.» He left the bath running and flooded the bathroom.» The severe cold caused a water main to burst and flood the street.» This coastal area floods every year, so the local people build their houses on stilts.