landslide

[ land-slahyd ]

noun

1. the downward falling or sliding of a mass of soil, detritus, or rock on or from a steep slope.
2. the mass itself.
3. an election in which a particular victorious candidate or party receives an overwhelming mass or majority of votes:

   the 1936 landslide for Roosevelt.

4. any overwhelming victory:

   She won the contest by a landslide.

verb (used without object)

, land·slid, land·slid or land·slid·den, land·slid·ing.

1. to come down in or as in a landslide.
2. to win an election by an overwhelming majority.

landslide

/ ˈlændˌslaɪd /

noun

1. Also calledlandslip
   1. the sliding of a large mass of rock material, soil, etc, down the side of a mountain or cliff
   2. the material dislodged in this way
2. 1. an overwhelming electoral victory
   2. ( as modifier )

      a landslide win

landslide

/ lănd′slīd′ /

1. The rapid downward sliding of a mass of earth and rock. Landslides usually move over a confined area. Many kinds of events can trigger a landslide, such as the oversteepening of slopes by erosion associated with rivers, glaciers, or ocean waves; heavy snowmelt which saturates soil and rock; or earthquakes that lead to the failure of weak slopes.
2. The mass of soil and rock that moves in this way.

Word History and Origins

Origin of landslide¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; land + slide

Example Sentences

The force of the landslide may have actually broken off that piece of hanging glacier, he says.

From Science News

The party won November elections in a landslide, capturing 396 out of 476 seats in the country’s second democratic vote since the end of direct military rule.

From Washington Post

Voters across the political spectrum spoke loud and clear, passing Prop 22 in a landslide.

From TechCrunch

Aubrey Plaza, of “Parks and Recreation,” won by a landslide.

From Washington Post

People have lost their lives by seemingly random landslides, and now that this dataset exists scientists can begin to model and predict where and when a cliff might fall after a big storm, say.

From Voice of San Diego

The election of 1964 produced the most liberal Congress since the Democratic landslide of 1936.

From The Daily Beast

We believe in Him by a landslide 74 percent to 26 percent margin.

From The Daily Beast

Hispanic Republican moderate Brian Sandoval just won a landslide reelection in Nevada.

From The Daily Beast

The Ohio governor is about to score a landslide win in a state Republicans need to win the White House.

From The Daily Beast

But after winning a landslide election in his own right, TR unwisely said he would not run for a third term.

From The Daily Beast

Val had reached the blocked pass and was already endeavoring to climb up and over the landslide when Gale caught up with her.

From Project Gutenberg

Lead failed to do it, but God sent the landslide, and you are as good as dead.

From Project Gutenberg

I was nearly killed in a landslide, and now the men who saved me from that are done for.

From Project Gutenberg

The falling of the stones had been followed by some dirt, and now a regular landslide came after, burying him up to the armpits.

From Project Gutenberg

Next instant like a miniature landslide, he went plunging down the perilous slope.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• avalanche
• mudslide