flood gates
Water control barriers
Floodgates are gates controlling water flow, especially from a reservoir or along a river.
Opening them releases a rush of water.
The figurative sense dominates: to open the floodgates is to remove a barrier that had been holding something back, unleashing a torrent—of lawsuits, immigration, criticism, or emotion.
Usually spelled as one word.
- sluiceGated water conduit
- spillwayDam's water release structure
- delugeSevere overflow of water
- releaseTo let go
- overflowExceed capacity and spill
let loose · burst forth · torrent · open the floodgates · tipping point · breaking point · inundation · pent-up · hatch · cascade · locks · valve · release valve · penstock · opening · embankments · dam burst · waterways
- floodsdeluge, floodplains, rising waters, overflow, levee breach
- flood responsesandbags, sandbagging, evacuation plans, rescue, rescue boats
- flood controllevee, levees, dike, dikes, dykes
- North Seaoffshore drilling, oil platforms, oil platform, offshore wind farms, wind farms
- poldersdikes, levees, pumping stations, drainage canals, sluices
- Gulf Coast Infrastructurelevees, locks, floodwalls, spillways, pumping stations