flood

flood

A n

1 lit inondation f ; destroyed by flood détruit par une inondation ; insured against flood assuré contre l'inondation ; ‘flood!’ (on roadsign) ‘attention, route inondée!’ ; the river is in flood la rivière est en crue ; the Flood Bible le Déluge ;

2 fig a flood of un flot de [people, visitors, light, memories] ; un déluge de [letters, complaints] ; to be in floods of tears verser des torrents de larmes ;

3 ○ Phot, Theat = floodlight.

B vtr

1 lit inonder [area, house] ; faire déborder [river] ;

2 fig [light, tears, mail] inonder ; memories flooded her mind les souvenirs affluaient ; relief flooded his face le soulagement illumina son visage ;

3 Comm (over-supply) inonder [shops, market] (with de) ;

4 Aut noyer [engine, carburettor].

C vi

1 [meadow, street, cellar] être inondé ; [river] déborder ;

2 fig to flood into sth [light] inonder qch ; [people] envahir qch ; tears flooded down his cheeks les larmes lui inondaient les joues ; a blush flooded over his face la rougeur lui envahit le visage ; to flood over ou through sb [emotion] envahir qn.

D flooded pp adj [area, house] inondé ; to be flood with être inondé de [light, calls, complaints, tears, refugees].

Phrasal verbs

■ flood back [memories] remonter à la surface.

■ flood in [light, water] entrer à flot ; fig [contributions, refugees] affluer.

■ flood out :

▶ flood out [water, liquid] jaillir à flots ;

▶ flood [sth/sb] out inonder ; to be flooded out [person] être évacué à cause des inondations.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.