waterflood
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈwɔːtəflood/
KK: /ˈwɔːtərˌflʌd/
noun
Definition
A situation where a large amount of water covers an area, often causing damage or flooding.
Example
The heavy rain caused a waterflood that affected many homes in the area.
Conversation
Did you hear about the recent waterflood in the area?
Yeah, it caused a lot of damage to the homes near the river.
I can't believe how much water came in so quickly during the storm.
I know! It's scary to think how quickly a waterflood can happen.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
deluge
inundation
flood
Antonyms
drought
dryness
aridity
verb
Definition
To inject water into the ground around an oil well that is running low to help extract more oil.
Example
The company decided to waterflood the oil field to increase production.
Tense Forms
Past: waterflooded
Past Participle: waterflooded
Conversation
Did you hear about the new method they use to waterflood oil wells?
Yeah, it sounds like a clever way to get more oil out.
I wonder how effective it really is in the long run.
Root Explanation
Waterflood → It is formed from "water" (from Old English "wæter", meaning liquid that falls as rain or flows in rivers) and "flood" (from Old English "flōd", meaning a flowing or a flood). The word "waterflood" describes a large amount of water that overflows or inundates an area.
Memory Tip
Think of 'water' as the liquid that flows and 'flood' as a large flow of that liquid — together, they describe a situation where water overflows.
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