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sluice box

 - 1 dictionary result

sluice

[sloos] noun, verb, sluiced, sluic⋅ing.
–noun
1. an artificial channel for conducting water, often fitted with a gate (sluice gate) at the upper end for regulating the flow.
2. the body of water held back or controlled by a sluice gate.
3. any contrivance for regulating a flow from or into a receptacle.
4. a channel, esp. one carrying off surplus water; drain.
5. a stream of surplus water.
6. an artificial stream or channel of water for moving solid matter: a lumbering sluice.
7. Also called sluice box. Mining. a long, sloping trough or the like, with grooves on the bottom, into which water is directed to separate gold from gravel or sand.
–verb (used with object)
8. to let out (water) by or as if by opening a sluice.
9. to drain (a pond, lake, etc.) by or as if by opening a sluice.
10. to open a sluice upon.
11. to flush or cleanse with a rush of water: to sluice the decks of a boat.
12. Mining. to wash in a sluice.
13. to send (logs) down a sluiceway.
–verb (used without object)
14. to flow or pour through or as if through a sluice.

Origin:
1300–50; ME scluse (n.) < OF escluse < LL exclūsa, a water barrier, n. use of fem. of L exclūsus, ptp. of exclūdere to exclude


sluicelike, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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