flood English · revision 5829

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /flʌd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|flod]], [[inh|ang|flōd|t=a flowing of water, tide, deluge]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*flōduz]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) which also gave Old Norse flóð, Dutch vloed, German Flut and Gothic flōdus,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from a suffixed form of PIE [[ine-pro|*pleu-|t=to flow]], the source of [[flow]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) Barnhart notes that its vowel developed as in [[blood]], and early modern English often wrote floud.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A flowing of water, in ''Beowulf'' about 725 in Barnhart;^(Barnhart 1988) a river or stream is from about 825 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The incoming tide, as in ''ebb and flood'', and water as opposed to land are from before 1000.^(OED 1989) An overflowing of water onto dry land, and Noah's Flood, are from about 1000.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) A violent outpouring is from about 1205, and the figurative sense, a great quantity or sudden abundance, from the mid-14th century.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The verb, to overflow, is from 1663, and to rise in flood from 1755.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''Floodgate'' is from about 1440, ''flood plain'' from 1873, and ''floodlight'' from the 1920s.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – a flowing of water.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 825 – a river.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1000 – an inundation, and Noah's Flood.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-14th century – a great quantity.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1440 – ''floodgate''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1663 – the verb.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1873 – ''flood plain''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An overflow of water onto land that is usually [[dry]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A great outpouring: ''a flood of tears''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The incoming [[tide]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(the Flood)'' The great flood described in [[Genesis]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cover or become covered with water.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To arrive or fill in great numbers.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[flooder]]

+ * [[floodable]]

+ * [[floodless]]

+ * [[floodlike]]

+ * [[floodgate]]

+ * [[floodplain]]

+ * [[waterflood]]

+ * [[photoflood]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[flow]]

+ * [[floodlight]]

+ * [[fluid]]

+ * [[pluvial]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}