August 28, 2011 - Word of the Day: flood

As water levels from Hurricane Irene continue to increase around New York City, a word you are likely to hear a lot is "flood."

A large storm caused flooding.

There aren't too many places in the world that don't have a flood occur at one time or another. This is what the word looks like when it's used as a noun:

• A large flood wiped out several areas of the city.
• Many people were affected by the flood.
• Flooding is a problem during and after a storm. ("Flooding" in this sentence is a gerund and it acts as the subject.)
• Flooding and high winds are causing power outages.

You can use "flood" as a verb, but sometimes this word has nothing to due with water. Instead it describes a large, sudden increase of activity:

• My inbox is flooded with junk mail.
• The police department was flooded with phone calls during the emergency.
• Football fans flooded onto the field after their team won the game.
• Heavy rains flooded the streets of the city.

Word of the Day for August 27, 2011: text

Word of the Day: August 2011

Word of the Day: July 2011