n. & v.
n. 1 a long narrow excavated channel esp. for drainage or to mark a boundary. 2 a watercourse, stream, etc.
v. 1 intr. make or repair ditches (hedging and ditching). 2 tr. provide with ditches; drain. 3 tr. sl. leave in the lurch; abandon. 4 tr. colloq. a bring (an aircraft) down on the sea in an emergency. b drive (a vehicle) into a ditch. 5 intr. colloq. (of an aircraft) make a forced landing on the sea. 6 tr. sl. defeat; frustrate. 7 tr. US derail (a train). ditch-water stagnant water in a ditch. dull as ditch-water extremely dull. last ditch a place of final desperate defence (fight to the last ditch). ditcher n.
[ OE dic, of unkn. orig.: cf. DIKE(1) ]