ditch

[ dich ]

/ dɪtʃ /

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See synonyms for: ditch / ditched / ditching on Thesaurus.com

noun

a long, narrow excavation made in the ground by digging, as for draining or irrigating land; trench.

any open passage or trench, as a natural channel or waterway.

verb (used with object)

to dig a ditch or ditches in or around.

to derail (a train) or drive or force (an automobile, bus, etc.) into a ditch.

to crash-land on water and abandon (an airplane).

Slang.

to get rid of: I ditched that old hat of yours.
to escape from: He ditched the cops by driving down an alley.
to absent oneself from (school or a class) without permission or an acceptable reason.

verb (used without object)

to dig a ditch.

(of an aircraft or its crew) to crash-land in water and abandon the sinking aircraft.

Slang. to be truant; play hooky.

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of ditch

before 900; 1940–45 for def. 5, 1885–90 for def. 6, 1955–60 for def. 9; Middle English dich,Old English dīc; cognate with German Teich.See dike¹

OTHER WORDS FROM ditch

ditchless, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ditch in a sentence

Third, the complete Waun Mawn stone circle had an estimated diameter of 110 meters, the same as the ditch that encircles Stonehenge.
Stonehenge may have had roots in a Welsh stone circle|Bruce Bower|February 12, 2021|Science News
In fact, food scraps like orange and banana peels can take up to two years to break down in the wild, meaning they’re going to be sitting alongside the trail or in a ditch by the road for a lot longer than you might think.
Once you know what happens to food you leave outdoors, you’ll stop doing it|Alisha McDarris|January 14, 2021|Popular-Science
They’re a perfect fit for an otherwise stock vehicle because they can be easily mounted as ditch lights.
The Best Gift Ideas for 4x4 Enthusiasts|Wes Siler|November 12, 2020|Outside Online
She ultimately ditched JSwipe after about a week and found her current, non-Jewish, boyfriend on OkCupid.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST

The CIA ditched the project shortly after the three prototypes came in, but you can still see what they looked like.
Bid on CIA’s Osama Action Figure, Lewinsky's Lingerie, and More at This L.A. Auction House|Asawin Suebsaeng|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I ditched my office chair a few months ago and have never felt healthier or more productive.
Work Like Churchill-Ditch Your Office Chair and Embrace the Standing Desk|Gregory Ferenstein|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lottie Moon learned Chinese and ditched her Southern belle dresses for indigenous attire.
Did the Southern Baptist ‘Conservative Resurgence’ Fail?|Molly Worthen|June 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After the ceremony, the pope ditched his mitre and ceremonial robes and hopped into the popemobile for a spin around the square.
Onscene as Pope Francis Makes Saints of John Paul II and John XXIII|Barbie Latza Nadeau|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Charges were freely made, now, that the railroad had deliberately ditched its friends, and all that.
The Wreckers|Francis Lynde
Then one of them said something which stimulated the others to frantic flight down the highway away from the ditched car.
Operation Terror|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
You said Gallagher ditched your car: did it block the track?
Empire Builders|Francis Lynde
I did n' wan' ter ride it that night, 'cause she wuz purty bughouse, 'n' I felt she'd get ditched ef we tried it.
Tramping with Tramps|Josiah Flynt
Well, 'bout a year 'n' a half ago I got ditched there one night in a little town not far from the main line. '
Tramping with Tramps|Josiah Flynt

British Dictionary definitions for ditch (1 of 2)

ditch

/ (dɪtʃ) /

noun

a narrow channel dug in the earth, usually used for drainage, irrigation, or as a boundary marker

any small, natural waterway

Irish a bank made of earth excavated from and placed alongside a drain or stream

informal either of the gutters at the side of a tenpin bowling lane

last ditch a last resort or place of last defence

verb

to make a ditch or ditches in (a piece of ground)

(intr) to edge with a ditch

informal to crash or be crashed, esp deliberately, as to avoid more unpleasant circumstanceshe had to ditch the car

(tr) slang to abandon or discardto ditch a girlfriend

informal to land (an aircraft) on water in an emergency

(tr) US slang to evadeto ditch the police

Derived forms of ditch

ditcher, nounditchless, adjective

Word Origin for ditch

Old English dīc; related to Old Saxon dīk, Old Norse dīki, Middle High German tīch dyke, pond, Latin fīgere to stick, see dyke 1

British Dictionary definitions for ditch (2 of 2)

Ditch

/ (dɪtʃ) /

noun NZ

the Ditch an informal name for the Tasman Sea

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with ditch

ditch

see last-ditch effort.

ditch

Origin of ditch

OTHER WORDS FROM ditch

Words related to ditch

How to use ditch in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ditch (1 of 2)

Derived forms of ditch

Word Origin for ditch

British Dictionary definitions for ditch (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with ditch