sluice

[ sloos ]

/ slus /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: sluice / sluiced / sluicing on Thesaurus.com

noun

an artificial channel for conducting water, often fitted with a gate (sluice gate ) at the upper end for regulating the flow.

the body of water held back or controlled by a sluice gate.

any contrivance for regulating a flow from or into a receptacle.

a channel, especially one carrying off surplus water; drain.

a stream of surplus water.

an artificial stream or channel of water for moving solid matter: a lumbering sluice.

Also called sluice box .Mining. a long, sloping trough or the like, with grooves on the bottom, into which water is directed to separate gold from gravel or sand.

verb (used with object), sluiced, sluic·ing.

to let out (water) by or as if by opening a sluice.

to drain (a pond, lake, etc.) by or as if by opening a sluice.

to open a sluice upon.

to flush or cleanse with a rush of water: to sluice the decks of a boat.

Mining. to wash in a sluice.

to send (logs) down a sluiceway.

verb (used without object), sluiced, sluic·ing.

to flow or pour through or as if through a sluice.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of sluice

1300–50; Middle English scluse (noun) <Old French escluse<Late Latin exclūsa, a water barrier, noun use of feminine of Latin exclūsus, past participle of exclūdere to exclude

OTHER WORDS FROM sluice

sluicelike, adjectiveun·der·sluice, nounun·sluiced, adjective

Words nearby sluice

sluggard, sluggardly, slugger, slugging average, sluggish, sluice, sluicegate, sluiceway, sluit, slum, slumber

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

How to use sluice in a sentence

Far upstream, one of the power companies has opened the dam’s sluices.
A Paddleboard Adventure to Climb in Spain’s Mont-Rebei Gorge|POM Administrator|July 29, 2022|Outside Online
Even if farmers smooth over the top of the soil, underground rubble can act like a barrier or sluice for water, which could make it harder to grow crops.
Russia’s invasion could cause long-term harm to Ukraine’s prized soil|Rebecca Dzombak|June 21, 2022|Science News
Chef Garcelon and several members of the kitchen staff are standing around, watching the honey sluice out of the centrifuge.
Honey Harvest at the Waldorf Astoria’s Beehives|Josh Dzieza|August 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They had aided in opening the sluice-ways of a torrent which was now sweeping every thing before it.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott

They died because they refused to open those sluice-ways of blood which the people demanded.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
He finished his strictly utilitarian household labor and went off up the flat to the sluice boxes.
Cabin Fever|B. M. Bower
In a few minutes Uncle Will released him and sent him back to help Lucky at the sluice.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson
Once I saw a catfish, gasping for air at the surface of water that had been muddied by the opening of a sluice-way in a dam.
Bill's School and Mine|William Suddards Franklin

British Dictionary definitions for sluice

sluice

/ (sluːs) /

noun

Also called: sluiceway a channel that carries a rapid current of water, esp one that has a sluicegate to control the flow

the body of water controlled by a sluicegate

See sluicegate

mining an inclined trough for washing ore, esp one having riffles on the bottom to trap particles

an artificial channel through which logs can be floated

informal a brief wash in running water

verb

(tr) to draw out or drain (water, etc) from (a pond, etc) by means of a sluice

(tr) to wash or irrigate with a stream of water

(tr) mining to wash in a sluice

(tr) to send (logs, etc) down a sluice

(intr; often foll by away or out) (of water, etc) to run or flow from or as if from a sluice

(tr) to provide with a sluice

Derived forms of sluice

sluicelike, adjective

Word Origin for sluice

C14: from Old French escluse, from Late Latin exclūsa aqua water shut out, from Latin exclūdere to shut out, exclude

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

sluice

Origin of sluice

OTHER WORDS FROM sluice

Words nearby sluice

Words related to sluice

How to use sluice in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sluice

Derived forms of sluice

Word Origin for sluice