to ditch
2
3.4
- verb
- /dɪtʃ/
:
cavar una zanja
- Farmers often ditch fields to improve drainage and prevent waterlogging during heavy rains.
Examples
-
For more than a century, the nation's largest wetland has been drained, diked, and ditched.
Academic text (1994) -
Before planting, it's important to ditch the area to ensure proper water flow and soil aeration.
-
Erosion left ditches three to five feet deep and continued to grow over the years.
Fiction book (1998) -
During the 19th century, coastal wetlands were ditched and drained to meet the demands of expanding agriculture.
Academic text (1993) -
Well, yeah, that's what you just said, to dig a small trench or ditch around the periphery as of a dwelling to prevent seepage.
-
The construction crew will ditch around the building site to manage stormwater runoff effectively.
Synonyms
3
4.5
To loosen and move soil with a tool like a spade
2
3.5
To make a long narrow hole in the ground for pipes or to carry water away
2
4.6
To dig a long narrow ditch in the ground for drainage or pipes
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
A tall plant in wet places with long leaves and feathery flowers used to make mats and arrow shafts
How Deep
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ditch meaning 'to cut a trench' is simply the action form of the old word dic and means to dig a long 'trench' to move water away. That's why farmers who ditch their fields are making channels to drain rainwater.