floodgates C2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction 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. Topics Space, Position & Direction Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # 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 - Space, Position & Direction - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown