dike

dike (dīk)

noun

Brit., Dialectal
1. a ditch or watercourse
2. the bank of earth thrown up in digging a ditch
an embankment or dam made to prevent flooding by the sea or by a river
a protective barrier or obstacle
Scot. a low dividing wall of earth or stone
Archaic a raised causeway
Geol. igneous rock that solidified as a tabular body in a more or less vertical fissure

Etymology: ME < OE dic & ON diki, akin to ditch, Du dijk, Ger deich < IE base *dhēigw-, *dhīgw-, to pierce, fasten > L figere, fix

transitive verb diked, dik′·ing

dike (dīk)

noun

dik′ey adjective

Converse of subject

protect: Towns protected by sand-bag dikes, were dry islands in the midst of what was described as the " Red Sea " .

Converse of object

propagate: The position of pre-existing faults relative to the propagating dike will control whether slip will occur.

Adjective modifier

protective: Thus 1,000 extra sandbags have been used to strengthen the protective dike at Luabo.
defensive: Langa said the state of the Marromeu defensive dike " is not encouraging " .

Modifies a noun

intrusion: The September 12, 1999 Upper East Rift Zone dike intrusion at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii.
reinforcement: The results so far, especially in the field of dike reinforcement, are encouraging.

Noun used with modifier

cross: Feet of meeting this meant that employer only has road or cross dike.

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