swale

/sweɪl/

Other forms: swales

A swale is a low, damp piece of land. You might want to avoid walking through the swale on your road in your brand new suede shoes.

An area of ground marked by raised ridges might also have swales between them. Many swales are natural land formations, but others are made on purpose to direct rainwater, manage runoff, and conserve the soil. These deliberate swales help spread rainwater across a wide section of land, rather than allowing it to flow quickly in one direction. Swale comes from the Scottish swaill, "low place," or the East Anglican swale, "shady place."

Definitions of swale

1. noun

   a low area (especially a marshy area between ridges)
   type of:

   trough

   a narrow depression (as in the earth or between ocean waves or in the ocean bed)