floodgates C2 Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives US /ˈflʌdˌgeɪts/ See IPA manual Freq #37745 Meanings 1 noun Gates that control the flow of water; often used figuratively for whatever is holding back a sudden rush of something. The court's decision could open the floodgates to thousands of similar lawsuits. Appears in Idioms (1) See all open the floodgates To remove a restraint and allow something to increase rapidly, often beyond control. Topics Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # floodgates **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈflʌdˌgeɪts/ **Frequency rank:** 37745 ## Meanings 1. Gates that control the flow of water; often used figuratively for whatever is holding back a sudden rush of something. ## Examples - The court's decision could open the floodgates to thousands of similar lawsuits. ## Topics - Word Formation & Derivatives - General Vocabulary markdown