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Glite Dictionary
😞 A failure 🌊 Flood damage
washout

washout

3 6.7
An area where heavy rain removes ground and makes roads unusable
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːʃaʊt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : socavón
  • The heavy rain caused a significant washout on the highway, making it impassable for vehicles.
  • washout in the road

Examples

  • We are facing the collapse of the highways that depend on diesel and gasoline-powered trucks for bridge maintenance, culvert cleaning to avoid road washouts, snow plowing, and roadbed and surface repair.

    Blog text (25)

  • The washout had filled with rapidly flowing water from a rising tide.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • We also stocked up on warm clothing and food and water in case the roads are destroyed by the washouts from the rain.

    Blog text (22)

  • Roadway washouts and pothole development.

    Blog text (3)

  • Our trio hustles along, but Whistler stumbles, tumbling and sliding down a washout.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • After the storm, the community gathered to repair the washout that had damaged their local road.

  • Due to the persistent rain, numerous washouts appeared along the hiking trail, complicating access for hikers.

Synonyms

wash
vswashout
  • US
22 8.1

A dry stream bed that fills with water after heavy rain

is a localized area removed by heavy water flow that often damages roads

How Damaged

collapse
350 4.1
landslide
  • Specialized
23 3.3
washout
  • Specialized
3 6.7
gully
27 4.7
erosion
  • Specialized
34 3.7

Surface Forms

washout singular
washouts plural

Morphology

washout = wash + out (transparent) = wash + out

The sense denotes ground or material literally removed or carried away by water, directly composed from 'wash' + 'out'.

Etymology

Washout comes from the simple idea of wash + out, where heavy water 'washes out' soil and leaves a gap or hole after a storm. So a washout is a place where the ground has been removed or badly damaged by water.