overfalls

American  

[oh-ver-fawlz] / ˈoʊ vərˌfɔlz /

noun

1. Oceanography. water made rough by a strong current moving over a shoal, by an opposing current, or by winds blowing against the current.

2. Obsolete. a cataract or waterfall.

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Etymology

Origin of overfalls

First recorded in 1535–45; over- + fall + -s ³

Example Sentences

Mr Sharp said: "We are tired but feel quite ecstatic to have finished. "It was a bit hairy towards the finish... with strong tides and big overfalls in the dark.

From BBC • Dec. 15, 2015

The gravel of the higher section is good riding; the upper part is often made impassable by large stones and overfalls of rock; and the head is a mere couloir.

From The Land of Midian — Volume 2 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

Also, strange overfalls, the waves of which, even in calm weather, will throw their crests over the bulwarks.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

And those whirlpools were not constant to one place, but drove about strangely; and sometimes we saw among them large ripplings of the water, like great overfalls, making a fearful noise.

From A Continuation of a Voyage to New Holland by Dampier, William

Once they encountered "overfalls" of rather broken water on the tail of a bank; but, with nothing worse than a couple of waves breaking inboard, the motor-boat gained the comparatively smooth water beyond.

From The Dispatch-Riders The Adventures of Two British Motor-cyclists in the Great War by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)