Definitions

1. noun

A device for diverting or regulating the flow of water, especially one consisting of a box or chute with a gate that can be opened or closed to control the flow.

“The construction crew used a sluice to divert water from the river and allow them to work on the bridge.”

2. verb

To move or direct something through a sluice, especially water.

“The farmer sluiced the irrigation water through the fields to water the crops.”

3. verb

To extract or separate something, especially gold or other minerals, from ore or gravel by washing it in a current of water.

“The prospector sluiced the gravel to find gold nuggets.”

4. noun

A passage or channel through which water flows, especially one that has been dug or constructed for a particular purpose.

“The park’s designer created a sluice to bring water from the nearby lake to the fountain.”