floodgate, n.
(floodgates)
(floodgates)
regulator consisting of a valve or gate that controls the rate of water flow through a sluice
<noun.artifact>
floodgate head gate penstock sluice valve sluicegate water gate
something that restrains a flood or outpouring
<noun.cognition>
floodgate
sample sentences
"suspension of surveillance opened the floodgates to illegal immigrants"
semantic pointers
hypernym