noun
deluge
DEHL-yoozh
noun
1
A sudden, heavy flood of water, or an overwhelming rainstorm.
"The deluge turned the streets into rivers within minutes."
2
An overwhelming amount of anything arriving at once.
"The company faced a deluge of complaints after the price hike."
verb
1
To overwhelm someone with a large amount of something.
"Fans deluged the singer with messages after the announcement."
How to Use Deluge
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA flood — either of water or of things like messages, complaints, or requests, all arriving at once.
Common pairings
a deluge of complaints
deluged with requests
a sudden deluge
Word Forms
deluged past tense, deluges plural, deluges singular
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The _____ turned the streets into rivers within minutes.
Etymology
From Old French deluge, from Latin diluvium ("a washing away"), related to the verb diluere ("to wash away, dilute").