dɪtʃ n. & v. --n. 1 a long
narrow excavated channel
esp.
for drainage or to mark a
boundary. 2 a
watercourse,
stream, etc. --v. 1 intr.
make or repair ditches (hedging
and ditching). 2 tr.
provide with ditches;
drain. 3 tr. sl. leave in
the lurch;
abandon. 4 tr. colloq. a
bring (an aircraft) down on the
sea in an
emergency. b
drive (a vehicle)
into a ditch. 5 intr. colloq. (of an aircraft) make a forced
landing on the sea. 6 tr. sl.
defeat;
frustrate. 7 tr. US
derail (a train). øditch-water
stagnant water in a ditch.
dull as ditch-water extremely dull. last ditch a
place of
final desperate defence (fight to the last ditch). øøditcher n. [OE dic, of unkn. orig.:
cf. DIKE(1)]