sluice

Everyday

1. A gate or channel that controls how much water flows in a river, canal or mill stream (also called a sluice gate). tree →
2. (verb) To wash something with lots of water: sluice down the yard. tree →
3. (verb) Of water: to pour or rush out. tree →

In the lessons

Geography and science: sluices control floods and water levels on rivers and canals, and turn mill wheels. In The Wind in the Willows the river runs past weirs, mills and locks. Everyday: farmers sluice out a cowshed; rain sluices down the street.

Examples

• The farmer opened the sluice to let water into the field. tree →
• Water rushed through the sluice gate. tree →
• They sluiced down the muddy yard with a hose. tree →
• Rain sluiced down the windows. tree →
• The miller closed the sluice to stop the wheel. tree →
• Engineers built sluices to stop the town flooding. tree →
• Rikki-tikki tingled all over with rage and hatred at this, and then Nag’s head came through the sluice, and his five feet of cold body followed it. tree →

Note

Say «sloos». Silent ui sound: s-l-oo-s. Safety: sluices and weirs have very strong currents — never swim near them.