(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If there is a ~, a large amount of water covers an area which is usually dry, for example when a river flows over its banks or a pipe bursts.
More than 70 people were killed in the ~s, caused when a dam burst...
This is the type of ~ dreaded by cavers...
Over 25 people drowned when a schoolbus tried to cross a river and ~ waters swept through.
N-VAR
2.
If something such as a river or a burst pipe ~s an area that is usually dry or if the area ~s, it becomes covered with water.
The Chicago River ~ed the city’s underground tunnel system...
The kitchen ~ed.
VERB: V n, V
~ed
People have been mobilised to build defences and drain ~ed land as heavy rains continue to fall.
ADJ
3.
If a river ~s, it overflows, especially after very heavy rain.
...the relentless rain that caused twenty rivers to ~...
Many streams have ~ed their banks, making some roads impassable.
= overflow
VERB: V, V n
4.
If you say that a ~ of people or things arrive somewhere, you are emphasizing that a very large number of them arrive there.
The administration is trying to stem the ~ of refugees out of Haiti and into Florida...
He received a ~ of letters from irate constituents.
= tide, torrent
N-COUNT: usu N of n emphasis
5.
If you say that people or things ~ into a place, you are emphasizing that they arrive there in large numbers.
Enquiries ~ed in from all over the world.
...the refugees ~ing out of Kosovo.
= pour
VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv emphasis
6.
If you ~ a place with a particular type of thing, or if a particular type of thing ~s a place, the place becomes full of so many of them that it cannot hold or deal with any more.
...a policy aimed at ~ing Europe with exports...
German cameras at knock-down prices ~ed the British market.
= saturate
VERB: V n with n, V n
~ed
...the danger of Europe becoming ~ed with low-cost agricultural imports.
ADJ
7.
If an emotion, feeling, or thought ~s you, you suddenly feel it very intensely. If feelings or memories ~ back, you suddenly remember them very clearly. (LITERARY)
A wave of happiness ~ed me...
Mary Ann was ~ed with relief ...
It was probably the shock which had brought all the memories ~ing back.
VERB: V n, be V-ed with n, V adv
8.
If light ~s a place or ~s into it, it suddenly fills it.
The afternoon light ~ed the little rooms...
Morning sunshine ~ed in through the open curtains.
VERB: V n, V prep/adv
9.
see also flash ~
10.
If you say that someone was in ~s of tears or in a ~ of tears, you are emphasizing that they were crying with great intensity because they were very upset.
They said goodbye in a ~ of tears.
PHRASE: ~ inflects, usu in PHR emphasis