- [countable, uncountable] a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry
- The heavy rain has caused floods in many parts of the country.
- There have been delays to filming as a result of the floods.
- Police have issued flood warnings for Nevada.
- Much had been done in recent years to improve flood defences.
- The insurance does not cover flood damage to gates, hedges or fences.
- an appeal to help flood victims
- the Thames flood barrier
- in flood The river is in flood (= has more water in it than normal and has caused a flood).
Extra ExamplesTopics Weatherb1, The environmentb1- No one knew that the flood was coming.
- The flood caused widespread destruction.
- The floods are slowly subsiding.
- This summer the region was struck by devastating floods.
- The building was evacuated as flood water filled the basement.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- catastrophic
- devastating
- great
- …
- cause
- come
- hit something
- strike something
- …
- water
- plain
- damage
- …
- be in (full) flood
- [countable] flood (of something) a very large number of things or people that appear at the same time
- a flood of complaints
- We are unable to compete with a flood of cheap food imports.
- The child was in floods of tears (= crying a lot).
- New spam-blocking software should help stem (= stop) the flood.
Extra Examples- There has been a flood of tributes on social media from fans.
- A fundraising page has been set up to help support the family and it has received a flood of donations.
- Writing about St John's brings back a flood of nostalgic memories.
- They took on temporary workers in anticipation of a flood of calls.
- She was inundated by floods of fan mail.
- Authorities are struggling to cope with the flood of refugees.
- A great flood of anger washed through him.
- Conversation returned, a trickle breaking into a flood.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- great
- constant
- sudden
- …
- inundate somebody/something
- bring
- cause
- release
- …
- flood of
- a flood of memories
- in floods of tears
- the Flood[singular] the great flood that covered the world in the Bible story
- before the Flood (= a very long time ago)
water
large number
in Bible
Word OriginOld English flōd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloed and German Flut, also to flow.
Check pronunciation:
flood