Irrigate

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ir=ri=gate

CIDE DICTIONARY

Irrigate, v. t. [L. irrigatus, p. p. of irrigare to irrigate: ir- in + rigare to water; prob. akin to E. rain. See Rain.].

•  To water; to wet; to moisten with running or dropping water; to bedew.  [1913 Webster]
•  To water, as land, by causing a stream to flow upon, over, or through it, as in artificial channels.  [1913 Webster]
•  To rinse (a wound, infected area, etc.) with a flow or spray of a liquid.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Irrigate, v.tr.
1 a water (land) by means of channels. b (of a stream etc.) supply (land) with water.
2 Med. supply (a wound etc.) with a constant flow of liquid.
3 refresh as with moisture.

Derivative

irrigable adj. irrigation n. irrigative adj. irrigator n.

Etymology

L irrigare (as IN-(2), rigare moisten)

THESAURUS

Irrigate

adulterate, asperge, attenuate, baptize, bath, bathe, bedew, bespatter, besprinkle, cut, dabble, damp, dampen, dash, dew, dilute, douche, flush, flush out, gargle, holystone, hose, hose down, humect, humectate, humidify, lather, launder, lave, moisten, mop, mop up, paddle, rarefy, reduce, rinse, rinse out, ritually immerse, scour, scrub, scrub up, shampoo, shower, slobber, slop, slosh, sluice, sluice out, soap, sparge, spatter, splash, splatter, sponge, spray, sprinkle, swab, swash, syringe, thin, toivel, tub, wash, wash out, wash up, water, water down, wet, wet down

ROGET THESAURUS

Irrigate

Water

VB be watery, reek, add water, water, wet, moisten, dilute, dip, immerse, merge, immerge, submerge, plunge, souse, duck, drown, soak, steep, macerate, pickle, wash, sprinkle, lave, bathe, affuse, splash, swash, douse, drench, dabble, slop, slobber, irrigate, inundate, deluge, syringe, inject, gargle.

River

VB flow, run, meander, gush, pour, spout, roll, jet, well, issue, drop, drip, dribble, plash, spirtle, trill, trickle, distill, percolate, stream, overflow, inundate, deluge, flow over, splash, swash, guggle, murmur, babble, bubble, purl, gurgle, sputter, spurt, spray, regurgitate, ooze, flow out, rain hard, rain in torrents, rain cats and dogs, rain pitchforks, pour with rain, drizzle, spit, set in, mizzle, flow into, fall into, open into, drain into, discharge itself, disembogue, pour, pour out, shower down, irrigate, drench, spill, splash, stanch, dam, up, obstruct.