floodgate
/ˈflʌdˌɡeɪt/ noun, proper noun
Forms floodgates
- noun An adjustable gate or valve used to control the flow of water through a sluice.
- noun (figuratively, extension) Anything that controls or limits an outpouring of people, emotion, etc.
- noun (obsolete) A stream that passes through a floodgate; a torrent.
- proper noun (Philippine politics, neologism) A series of allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and irregularities in flood control projects in the Philippines during and before the administration of President Bongbong Marcos.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English flodegate, flodgate, flodeyate, floodȝate, flodȝete, equivalent to flood + gate.
From floodgate.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “floodgate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details