deluge English · revision 815

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdɛl.juː(d)ʒ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈdɛl.ju(d)ʒ/, /ˈdɛ.lu(d)ʒ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|deluge]],^(AHD)^(MED) [[bor|fro|deluge]], earlier ''deluve'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) [[der|la|dīluvium|t=flood, inundation]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) from ''dīluere'' “to wash away”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''dis-'' “away” and ''-luere'', a combining form of ''lavere'' “to wash”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) It is related to [[dilute]] and [[antediluvian]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A great flood or overflowing of water, a destructive inundation (c. 1374 in the OED; about 1380 in Barnhart).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From about 1386 it was used specifically of Noah's Flood,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) also called the ''general'' or ''universal deluge''.^(OED 1989) Figurative uses, anything that overwhelms like a flood, date from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and in Middle English included a great danger or the flood of death.^(MED) The verb, to flood or inundate, appears in the 1590s (1593 in Barnhart and Merriam-Webster; 1649 in the OED),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989) and figuratively, to overwhelm with great numbers, from the 1650s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The saying ''après moi le déluge'', “after me, the deluge”, is ascribed to Louis XV.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1374 – a great flood.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1386 – Noah's Flood.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1430 – figuratively, an overwhelming quantity.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1593 – verb, to inundate.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1654 – verb, to overwhelm.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A great flood of water; an [[inundation]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A heavy, drenching downpour.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An overwhelming amount or number, as in ''a deluge of mail''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''the Deluge'': the [[Flood]] in the time of [[Noah]].^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To flood with water; to [[inundate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To overwhelm with a large number or amount; to [[swamp]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[undeluged]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[antediluvian]]

+ * [[dilute]]

+ * [[lave]]

+ * [[lavatory]]

+ * [[diluvial]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}