winterbourne
Pronunciations (4)
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/ˈwɪntəbɔːn/
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
-
/ˈwɪntɚˌboɹn/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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/ˈwɪntɚˌbɝn/
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
- General-American
-
[ˈwɪ̃.ɾɚˌbɝːn]
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
- General-American
Noun
A stream that only flows in winter or after wet weather, particularly in an area rich in limestone.
Usage- UK usage
- Related words
- Examples
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More examples (1)
[F]rom the graveyard itself burst up one of those noble springs known as winter-bournes in the chalk ranges, which, awakened in autumn from the abysses to which it had shrunk during the summer's drought, was hurrying down upon its six months' course, a broad sheet of oily silver, over a temporary channel of smooth green sward.
The stream is a winterbourne - it flows only in winter or other periods of high rainfall and is usually dry in summer.
Word forms
winterbournes