flood

noun

/flʌd/

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water

[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).

large number

[countable] flood (of something) a very large number of things or people that appear at the same time

a flood of complaints
Authorities are struggling to cope with the flood of refugees.
The child was in floods of tears (= crying a lot).
New spam-blocking software should help stem (= stop) the flood.

Extra Examples

She was inundated by floods of fan mail.
Writing about St John's brings back a flood of nostalgic memories.
A great flood of anger washed through him.
Conversation returned, a trickle breaking into a flood.
They took on temporary workers in anticipation of a flood of calls.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

great
constant
sudden
…

flood + verb

inundate somebody/something

verb + flood

bring
cause
release
…

preposition

flood of

phrases

a flood of memories
in floods of tears

See full entry

in Bible

the Flood

[singular] the great flood that covered the world in the Bible story

before the Flood (= a very long time ago)

Word OriginOld English flōd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloed and German Flut, also to flow.

flood

verb

/flʌd/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they flood	/flʌd/ /flʌd/
he / she / it floods	/flʌdz/ /flʌdz/
past simple flooded	/ˈflʌdɪd/ /ˈflʌdɪd/
past participle flooded	/ˈflʌdɪd/ /ˈflʌdɪd/
-ing form flooding	/ˈflʌdɪŋ/ /ˈflʌdɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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fill with water

[intransitive, transitive] if a place floods or something floods it, it becomes filled or covered with water

The cellar floods whenever it rains heavily.
flood something If the pipe bursts it could flood the whole house.
be flooded with something The station was flooded with water and mud following heavy rain.

Extra Examples

The area near the river is liable to flood.
The village had been badly flooded.

Topics Weatherb1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + flood

be liable to

phrases

be badly flooded
flood its banks

See full entry

of river

[intransitive, transitive] to become so full that it spreads out onto the land around it

When the Ganges floods, it causes considerable damage.
flood something The river flooded the valley.

Topics Geographyb1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + flood

be liable to

phrases

be badly flooded
flood its banks

See full entry

large numbers

[intransitive] flood + adv./prep. to arrive or go somewhere in large numbers synonym pour

Refugees continue to flood into neighbouring countries.
Texts and tweets came flooding in from all over the country.

Extra Examples

The crowd was flooding out onto the track.
The home fans flooded onto the pitch at the finish.
Millions of poverty-stricken people will flood south in search of jobs.

[transitive, usually passive] to send something somewhere in large numbers

be flooded with something The office was flooded with applications for the job.
We’ve been flooded with complaints.

[transitive] to become or make something become available in a place in large numbers

flood something Cheap imported goods are flooding the market.
flood something with something A man who planned to flood Britain with cocaine was jailed for 15 years.

of feeling/thought

[intransitive, transitive] to affect somebody suddenly and strongly

+ adv./prep. A great sense of relief flooded over him.
Memories of her childhood came flooding back.
flood somebody with something The words flooded him with self-pity.

of light/colour

[intransitive, transitive] to spread suddenly into something; to cover something

+ adv./prep. She drew the curtains and the sunlight flooded in.
flood something She looked away as the colour flooded her cheeks.
be flooded with something The room was flooded with evening light.

engine

[intransitive, transitive] flood (something) if an engine floods or if you flood it, it becomes so full of petrol that it will not start

Word OriginOld English flōd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vloed and German Flut, also to flow.