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Noun: floodgate  'flúd,geyt
  1. Something that restrains a flood or outpouring
    "suspension of surveillance opened the floodgates to illegal immigrants"
     
  2. Regulator consisting of a valve or gate that controls the rate of water flow through a sluice
    - sluicegate, sluice valve, penstock, head gate, water gate

Derived forms: floodgates

Type of: regulator, restraint

Part of: penstock, sluice, sluiceway

Encyclopedia: Floodgate

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