n. [ F. déluge, L. diluvium, fr. diluere wash away; di- = dis- + luere, equiv. to lavare to wash. See Lave, and cf. Diluvium. ] 1. A washing away; an overflowing of the land by water; an inundation; a flood; specifically, The Deluge, the great flood in the days of Noah (Gen. vii.). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Anything which overwhelms, or causes great destruction. “The deluge of summer.” Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fiery deluge fed
With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

As I grub up some quaint old fragment of a [ London ] street, or a house, or a shop, or tomb or burial ground, which has still survived in the deluge. F. Harrison. [ 1913 Webster ]

After me the deluge.
(Aprés moi le déluge.) Madame de Pompadour. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deluged p. pr. & vb. n. Deluging. ] 1. To overflow with water; to inundate; to overwhelm. [ 1913 Webster ]

The deluged earth would useless grow. Blackmore. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To overwhelm, as with a deluge; to cover; to overspread; to overpower; to submerge; to destroy; as, the northern nations deluged the Roman empire with their armies; the land is deluged with woe. [ 1913 Webster ]

At length corruption, like a general flood . . .
Shall deluge all. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]