irrigation
(ɪrɪˈgeɪʃən)
[ad. L. irrigātiōn-em watering, n. of action from irrigāre to irrigate: cf. F. irrigation (15th c. in Godef. Compl.).]
The action or process of irrigating.
1. The action of supplying or fact of being supplied with moisture; a moistening or wetting. (Now rare in gen. sense, and regarded as transf. from 2 a.)
| a 1618 Sylvester Tobacco Battered 503 It dries the Body, robs of irrigation The thirsty parts. 1641 French Distill. i. (1651) 11 Humectation or Irrigation, is a sprinkling of moisture upon any thing. a 1693 Aubrey Lives, Bacon (1898) I. 84 His lordship would, when it rayned, take his coach (open) to receive the benefit of irrigation. 1809 Europ. Mag. LV. 20 The streets and lanes..were in a complete state of irrigation. |
2. spec. a. The action of supplying land with water by means of channels or streams; the distribution of water over the surface of the ground, in order to promote the growth and productiveness of plants.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §600 The Sixth Helpe of Ground is by Watering and Irrigation. 1664 Evelyn Sylva Advt., I did not altogether compile this Work for the sake of our Ordinary Rustics, but for the more Ingenious... That this may yet be no prejudice to the meaner capacities let them read for..irrigation, watering. 1807 Vancouver Agric. Devon (1813) 18 This valley..is supplied by a constant stream for the purposes of irrigation. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 232 A machine designed to raise water to a great height for the irrigation of land. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. iv. 72 Peasants..drawing up the buckets of water from the river for the irrigation of the fields above. |
b. Med. The application of a constant stream or shower of some liquid to a part of the body,
e.g. to allay inflammation, or to cleanse and disinfect an ulcer, etc. (In
quot. 1632
concr. A liquid for this purpose; an embrocation, lotion.)
| 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 272 Irrigation..is an aspersion of humidity upon things that are to be dissolved, that so they may the more easily deliquate. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iv. i. v, Irrigations of the head, with water lillies, lettice, violets, camomile, &c. 1632 tr. Bruel's Praxis Med. 39 Make an irrhigation for the head with sweete waters. 1842 Abdy Water Cure (1843) 68 Cold half baths, and irrigation afterwards. 1887 Syd. Soc. Lex., Irrigation,..the continuous application of a stream of simple or antiseptic fluid to a part so as to keep it wet with a constant change of the moisture. |
3. fig. Cf. irrigate v. 3.
| a 1660 Hammond Wks. IV. 574 (T.) That every of us fructify in some proportion answerable to our irrigation. 1884 J. Hall Chr. Home 69 Such spiritual irrigation we must use in the home for the good of one another. |
4. attrib. irrigation canal,
irrigation ditch;
irrigation-wheel, a wheel by means of which land is irrigated.
| 1910 Encycl. Brit. XIV. 841/2 When a river partakes of the nature of a torrent,..it is impossible to construct a system of *irrigation canals without very costly engineering works. 1923 R. Fry Let. 21 May (1972) II. 536 A vast flat plain perfectly green with corn,..and all run by irrigation canals from the Ebro. |
| 1880 C. R. Markham Peruv. Bark 479 In June the people were occupied with the *irrigation channels. |
| 1870 Gov. Hunt Own Story (MS.) 1 *Irrigation ditches were dug for as much of the land as could be covered with water. 1902 O. Wister Virginian vi. 77 One of the irrigation ditches ran under the fence from the hay-field to supply the house with water. 1958 [see acequia]. 1974 J. Thomson Long Revenge vi. 67 The only possible cover was that provided by the tall reeds that grew in the deeper irrigation ditches. |
| 1877 Daily News 5 Oct. 4/4 Having erected new *irrigation tanks in India. |
| 1883 F. Day Indian Fish 50 (Fish. Exh. Publ.) To watch these enormous reptiles feeding in the river below the *irrigation weir which impedes the upward ascent of breeding fish. |
| 1864 J. A. Grant Walk Across Afr. 410 Mr. Aipperly had..made friends with the natives by assisting to put up their *irrigation-wheels. |
| 1858 J. B. Norton Topics 184 The whole revenue being immediately dependent on the *irrigation works. |
Hence
irriˈgational a., belonging to irrigation;
irriˈgationist, a person interested in irrigation.
| 1877 Athenæum 1 Dec. 695/3 Public works..both roads and irrigational. 1887 Detroit Free Press 21 May 2/4 Of interest to irrigationists. 1894 Naturalist 58 A product of the sewage farm irrigational proceedings. 1894 Voice (N.Y.) 18 Oct. 3/4 The Denver congress of irrigationists. |