opened the floodgates
Let everything through
To open the floodgates is to remove a barrier that had been holding something back, allowing it to rush forward in great quantity.
The expression comes from the gates that control water flow in dams and levees, but its figurative use dominates: The court ruling opened the floodgates to similar lawsuits.
Opening the floodgates typically implies that what follows will be overwhelming and possibly uncontrollable, whether that's litigation, criticism, immigration, or emotion.
- dam burstStructural water barrier failure
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
- domino effectSequential causation phenomenon
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- catharsisPurification through emotional expression
overflow · eruption · snowball effect · slippery slope · breakdown · deluge · tipping point · point of no return · spillway · cascade · can of worms · deregulation · inundation · watershed moment · ripple effect · venting · confession · torrent
opened the floodgatesstemmed the tide
Held back a surge
stanched · sealed off · bottled up · corked · barricaded
opened the floodgatesdoled out
Distributed in portions
rationed · parceled out · regulated · moderated · tempered
opened the floodgatesnipped in the bud
put a lid on · put the brakes on · held back · restrained · suppressed
opened, opening, opens, opener, openers, openly, openness, reopen, reopened