Your ShelfYour Projects
Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Deluge

Dĕl'ūge, n.

noun

(dĕl'ūj), n. [Fr. déluge, O. Fr. delure, from Lat. diluvium, from diluere, to wash away, from di, for dis, and luere, equivalent to lavere, to wash; Pr. & Catalan diluvi, Sp., Pg., & It. diluvio.]

  1. A washing away; an overflowing of the land by water; an inundation; a flood; especially, the great flood or overflowing of the earth by water in the days of Noah.
  2. Any thing which overwhelms, as a great calamity. “This deluge of pestilence.” Chaucer.

A fiery deluge Fed with ever-burning sulphur unconsumed. Milton.

Dĕl'ūge, v. t.

verbtransitive

(dĕl'ūj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. DELUGED; p. pr. & vb. n. DELUGING.] 1. To overflow, as with water; to inundate; to drown. The deluged earth would useless grow. Blackmore.

  1. To overwhelm; to cover with any flowing or moving, spreading body; as, the northern nations deluged the Roman empire with their armies.
  2. To overwhelm; to cause to sink under a general or spreading calamity; as, the land is deluged with corruption.

Corruption, like a general flood, Shall deluge all. Pope.