sluice

/sluːs/

noun

  1. 1

    An artificial passage for water, fitted with a valve or gate, for example in a canal lock or a mill stream, for stopping or regulating the flow.

  2. 2

    A water gate or floodgate.

  3. 3

    Hence, an opening or channel through which anything flows; a source of supply.

  4. 4

    The stream flowing through a floodgate.

  5. 5

    A long box or trough through which water flows, used for washing auriferous earth.

  6. 6

    An instance of wh-stranding ellipsis, or sluicing.

verb

  1. 1

    To emit by, or as by, flood gates.

  2. 2

    To wet copiously, as by opening a sluice

    to sluice meadows
  3. 3

    To wash with, or in, a stream of water running through a sluice.

  4. 4

    (more generally) To wash (down or out).

  5. 5

    To flow, pour.

  6. 6

    To elide the C` in a coordinated wh-question. See sluicing.

Translate “sluice” to another language

Click any language to open the translator with this word already filled in.

Sluice Definition & Meaning | TranslatePulse