SLUICE

I. noun Etymology: Middle English sluse, alteration of scluse, from Anglo-French escluse, from Late Latin exclusa, from Latin, feminine of exclusus, past participle of excludere to exclude Date: 15th century 1. an artificial passage for water (as in a millstream) fitted with a valve or gate for stopping or regulating flow, a body of water pent up behind a floodgate, a dock gate ; floodgate , 3. a stream flowing through a floodgate, a channel to drain or carry off surplus water, a long inclined trough usually on the ground, II. verb (~d; sluicing) Date: 1596 transitive verb to draw off by or through a ~, 2. to wash with or in water running through or from a ~, to drench with a sudden flow ; flush , to transport (as logs) in a ~, intransitive verb to pour as if from a ~