Embanked Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
๐๏ธ
embanked
[ษชmหbรฆลkt ]
Definition
past tense
The term 'embanked' refers to the action of constructing or building an embankment, which is a raised structure made from earth or other materials to contain water or support a roadway. This can involve creating barriers to prevent flooding, creating paths or roads, or altering the landscape. The word is commonly associated with civil engineering and landscaping projects. An embanked area can enhance land utility and provide protection against water damage.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The river was embanked to prevent flooding.
- They embanked the area to create a walking path.
- The city embanked the lake to control water levels.
Translations
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Interesting Facts
Environmental Science
- Embanked areas can help control flooding by holding back water in rivers and lakes.
- These structures are often made with natural materials like earth and rocks, integrating human engineering with nature.
- Properly designed embankments can also support wildlife, creating habitats in managed areas.
Engineering
- Building embankments is a common practice in civil engineering, especially for roads and railways to keep pathways dry.
- The stability of an embankment relies on careful design and materials to prevent erosion and collapse.
- Embankments can also be used for creating levees, which are specifically made to protect land from flooding.
Cultural Significance
- Historically, many ancient civilizations constructed embankments for irrigation, improving agricultural output.
- In some cultures, embankments are associated with sacred land or places of significance, marking boundaries or protection.
- Art works and literature sometimes symbolize 'embanked' landscapes as metaphors for barriers between nature and civilization.
Pop Culture
- In movies and literature, scenes featuring embanked landscapes can create dramatic settings for conflictโthink of a battle by a river.
- Songs and poems often use embanked imagery to evoke feelings of safety or isolation.
Origin of 'embanked'
Main points about word origin
- This term comes from the word 'bank', referring to a raised edge that holds water or separates land.
- The prefix 'em-' means to put into or on, making 'embank' essentially mean to put a bank on something.
- The word has been in use since the late 16th century, indicating a long history of human interaction with landscapes.
The word 'embank' comes from the combination of the prefix 'em-' meaning 'to cause to be in' or 'to put into' and the noun 'bank,' which refers to a raised area of land, often near a river or a shore. The origin of 'bank' can be traced back to Old Norse word 'bakki', which means 'ridge or hill.' The usage of 'embank' began to emerge in the English language around the late 16th century, specifically in contexts related to construction and civil engineering, as societies began to develop infrastructure to manage water flow and prevent flooding. As urbanization increased, the need for reliable methods of controlling water through embankments became more pronounced, leading to the continued use and evolution of the term in both everyday language and technical jargon.