floodgate
Water control barrier
A floodgate is a gate controlling water flow, especially one that holds back a river or reservoir.
Opening the floodgates releases a rush of water.
The figurative use dominates: The ruling opened the floodgates to lawsuits.
To open the floodgates is to remove a barrier that had been holding something back, typically unleashing an overwhelming quantity.
To release from restraint
torrent · deluge · wave · onslaught · barrage · cascade · avalanche · outburst
Violent rushing flow
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
- overflowExceed capacity and spill
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- cascadeSuccessive downward flow
downpour · cloudburst · monsoon · freshet · floodwater · spate · engulf · submerge
Water-holding barrier
- sluiceGated water conduit
- weirLow river barrier
- lockMechanism requiring a key
- spillwayDam's water release structure
levee · valve · barrier · dike · culvert · channel · aqueduct · canal
Control by rules
- managementOrganizing and directing resources
- hydraulicsStudy of pressurized liquids
- irrigationArtificial water supply for agriculture
- diversionRedirection of attention
release · discharge · water level · drainage · conservation · containment · retention · impoundment
unleash
To release from restraint
release · torrent · deluge · wave · onslaught · barrage · cascade · avalanche · outburst · explosion
torrent
Violent rushing flow
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
- overflowExceed capacity and spill
- surgeSudden powerful increase
cascade · downpour · cloudburst · monsoon · freshet · floodwater · spate · engulf · submerge · swamp
dam
Water-holding barrier
spillway · levee · valve · barrier · dike · culvert · channel · aqueduct · canal · reservoir
regulate
Control by rules
- managementOrganizing and directing resources
- hydraulicsStudy of pressurized liquids
- irrigationArtificial water supply for agriculture
diversion · release · discharge · water level · drainage · conservation · containment · retention · impoundment · hydrology
outpouring
Copious, spontaneous release
rush · burst · eruption · stream · jet · efflux · spurt · current · flux · emission
- floodsdeluge, flash floods, spring floods, coastal floods, floodwater
- water systemswater pipes, water pipe, water storage, water line, irrigation ditches
- gatesgatehouse, gatepost, tollgate, portcullis, lychgate
- protective barriersbarrier, barricade, fence, wall, guardrail
- blockersblocker, ad blocker, barrier, popup blocker, beta blocker
- flood controllevee, levees, dike, dikes, dykes
floodgatedam
Water-holding barrier
barrier · levee · dike · embankment · seawall
floodgatebottleneck
Constriction limiting throughput
barrier · blockade · obstruction · restriction · constraint
- open the floodgatesRemove barriers to overwhelming flow
- opening the floodgatesAllowing unrestricted outpouring
- opened the floodgatesRemoved all restraint
- open floodgates