dike

/daɪk/

/daɪk/

Other forms: dikes; diked; diking

A dike is a structure made of earth or stone that's used to hold back water. If you visit the Netherlands, you can see their elaborate system of dikes, without which much of the country would be underwater.

The verb dike means to enclose with a structure, like a wall or embankment, intended to hold back water. The Netherlands diked an inland sea, used pumping and other water control measures, and was able to reclaim flooded areas. The Dutch have used dikes to prevent flooding since the 12th century, and the word itself has the same roots as the Dutch word dijk.

Definitions of dike

1. noun

   a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
   synonyms: dam, dyke

   examples:

   Aswan High Dam

   one of the world's largest dams on the Nile River in southern Egypt

   Glen Canyon Dam

   a large dam built in 1964 on the Colorado River in Arizona

   Hoover Dam

   a large dam built in 1933 on the Colorado River in Nevada

   types:

   milldam

   dam to make a millpond to provide power for a water mill

   weir

   a low dam built across a stream to raise its level or divert its flow

   type of:

   barrier

   a structure or object that impedes free movement
2. verb

   enclose with a dike
   “dike the land to protect it from water”

   synonyms: dyke

   type of:

   close in, enclose, inclose, shut in

   surround completely
3. noun

   (slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine