overfall

British  

/ ˈəʊvəˌfɔːl /

noun

1. a turbulent stretch of water caused by marine currents over an underwater ridge

2. a mechanism that allows excess water to escape from a dam or lock

3. the point at which a sewer or land drainage discharges into the sea or a river

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overfall

The swell was unaccountably high, and the seas were curling over each other and breaking all round us just as if we were in a tide-race or overfall.

From The Cruise of the 'Alerte' The narrative of a search for treasure on the desert island of Trinidad by Knight, E. F. (Edward Frederick)

I think there is not in the world so strange an overfall, nor so wonderful to behold.

From The Discovery of Guiana by Raleigh, Walter, Sir

In the afternoon we met with a rippling tide or current, or the water of some shoal or overfall; but were past it before we could sound.

From A Voyage to New Holland by Dampier, William

With the wind blowing violently, the current driving fast to the westward and a high sea increasing every moment, Paul was lost sight of for nearly forty minutes, in an unusually heavy overfall.

From The Story of Paul Boyton Voyages on All the Great Rivers of the World by Boyton, Paul

A little above it, was an ancient overfall weir, which had also contributed to scour away the foundations of the piers.

From The Life of Thomas Telford; civil engineer with an introductory history of roads and travelling in Great Britain by Smiles, Samuel