flood tide
flood tide — noun
1. the part of the daily tide cycle when ocean water moves toward the land, making
the part of the daily tide cycle when ocean water moves toward the land, making the sea level rise along the shore — the opposite of when the water pulls back again.
Henrik stood on the harbour wall, watching the flood tide push into the narrow channel.
the flood tide + push into the channel
The children's sandcastle vanished when the flood tide reached their spot on the beach.
Saira checked the tide chart before the flood tide covered the reef path home.
At flood tide, the causeway to the small island disappears under a metre of water.
Nadia's grandfather says the flood tide brings the best fish close to the rocky shore.
- rising tide
the everyday term for the same ocean event; more common in casual speech
- incoming tide
highlights the direction of movement; often used by sailors and surfers
- flow
the technical nautical term; appears on marine charts and tide tables
- ebb tide
the phase when seawater moves back away from the coast
文法句型
the flood tide
during the flood tide
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'the'. 'Flood tide' describes the movement of water coming in, not the moment when water is highest — that moment is 'high tide'. The opposite term is 'ebb tide'.
常見錯誤
2. a very large amount of people or things that arrives all at once and is hard to
a very large amount of people or things that arrives all at once and is hard to deal with — for example, a flood tide of calls, complaints, or visitors after a news event.
The clinic faced a flood tide of patients after a bus crash on the main road.
a flood tide of + patients
Eshe's video about plastic waste brought a flood tide of volunteers to the beach cleanup.
A flood tide of angry letters reached the council after they closed the children's playground.
Hamza could not answer the flood tide of questions after he presented his research findings.
The charity could not process the flood tide of winter donations that arrived before Christmas.
- deluge
stronger image of being drowned or buried; more dramatic, often for bad news or criticism
- influx
neutral and practical; the standard word for people or money arriving somewhere
- avalanche
suggests something fast and unstoppable; common with emails, messages, and paperwork
- onslaught
implies something aggressive or harmful; used for attacks, criticism, or enemy action
- trickle
a very small number arriving slowly, one at a time
文法句型
a flood tide of [noun]
用法筆記
Always takes 'a' (indefinite article) and is followed by 'of' + the thing arriving in large numbers. Common in news reports about immigration, business, and social media. The plural 'flood tides' is almost never used in this figurative sense.
常見錯誤
3. the moment when something — such as a career, a civilisation, or an artistic mov
the moment when something — such as a career, a civilisation, or an artistic movement — is at its most powerful, successful, or creative level.
Antonia's career reached its flood tide when her painting hung in the National Gallery.
reached its flood tide
Many historians describe the late Renaissance as the flood tide of Italian sculpture.
the flood tide of + [historical period/category]
The newspaper's influence was at its flood tide during the election campaign that year.
Yumi believes that her grandmother's sixtieth year was the flood tide of her life.
The annual lantern festival marks the flood tide of the city's cultural calendar each autumn.
- peak
the common word; suitable for any register from casual to formal
- height
suggests a sustained period of excellence rather than a single moment
- zenith
even more literary than 'flood tide'; implies the absolute highest possible point
- climax
suggests dramatic build-up before the peak; common in storytelling and film
文法句型
[possessive] flood tide
the flood tide of [something]
用法筆記
Highly literary and formal — rare in everyday conversation. Found in essays, historical writing, and cultural commentary. In casual speech or business writing, use 'peak', 'height', or 'zenith' instead.