waterfall

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun American English · Slang · Informal

n. a way of drinking from a bottle by pouring the liquid into your mouth without touching the rim.

n. the act of consuming a beverage from a shared container by pouring the liquid from a height to avoid labial contact.

“Since we only had one bottle of water, we did a waterfall so we wouldn't share germs.”

“The coach insisted that the players use a waterfall technique when sharing the communal water jug to prevent the spread of the flu among the team.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Art Technical

n. a style of furniture from the 1930s and 40s with rounded, curved edges.

n. a design movement in mid-century furniture characterized by rounded 'waterfall' edges and the use of figured wood veneers.

“She bought a vintage waterfall dresser at the antique market.”

“The bedroom suite featured the distinctive waterfall aesthetic of the late 1930s, with book-matched walnut veneers and gracefully curved horizontal edges.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Computing Academic · Technical

n. a way of managing a project where you finish one step completely before starting the next.

n. a sequential development process in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through phases such as requirements, design, and implementation.

“The company switched from waterfall to agile to finish software updates faster.”

“While the waterfall model provides a clear structure for large-scale infrastructure projects, it often lacks the flexibility required for modern software development cycles.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Literary

v. to fall or flow down quickly and in large amounts, like water.

v. to descend or cascade in a manner suggestive of a waterfall. Intransitive use.

“Her long hair waterfalling down her back was bright red.”

“The ivy waterfalled over the balcony, creating a living curtain of green that obscured the view of the street below.”