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¹cascade

noun cas·cade \(ˌ)kas-ˈkād\

: a small, steep waterfall; especially : one that is part of a series of waterfalls

: a large amount of something that flows or hangs down

: a large number of things that happen quickly in a series

Full Definition of CASCADE

: a steep usually small fall of water; especially : one of a series

a : something arranged or occurring in a series or in a succession of stages so that each stage derives from or acts upon the product of the preceding <blood clotting involves a biochemical cascade>

b : a fall of material (as lace) that hangs in a zigzag line

: something falling or rushing forth in quantity <a cascade of sound> <a cascade of events>

See cascade defined for English-language learners

See cascade defined for kids

Origin of CASCADE

French, from Italian cascata, from cascare to fall, from Vulgar Latin *casicare, from Latin casus fall

First Known Use: 1641

Related to CASCADE

Synonyms: waterfall, cataract, fall(s)

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with CASCADE

abrade, afraid, air raid, arcade, Band-Aid, barmaid, Belgrade, blockade, bondmaid, bridesmaid, brigade, brocade, charade, clichéd, cockade, corrade, cross-trade, crusade, decade, degrade, dissuade, downgrade, evade, eyeshade, fair-trade, first aid, glissade, grenade, handmade, homemade, housemaid, inlaid, invade, limeade, low-grade, man-made, mermaid, milkmaid, navaid, nightshade, nursemaid, old maid, parade, persuade, pervade, plain-laid, pomade, postpaid, sacheted, scalade, sea-maid, self-made, stockade, sunshade, switchblade, torsade, twayblade, twice-laid, unbraid, unlade, unmade, unpaid, upbraid, upgrade

²cascade

verb

: to flow or hang down in large amounts

cas·cad·edcas·cad·ing

Full Definition of CASCADE

intransitive verb

: to fall, pour, or rush in or as if in a cascade

transitive verb

: to cause to fall like a cascade

: to connect in a cascade arrangement

See cascade defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of CASCADE

1702

CASCADE Defined for Kids

¹cascade

noun cas·cade \ka-ˈskād\

Definition of CASCADE for Kids

: a steep usually small waterfall

²cascade

verb

cas·cad·edcas·cad·ing

Definition of CASCADE for Kids

: to flow or fall rapidly and in large quantity <Tears cascaded from the baby's eyes.>

Medical Dictionary

cascade

noun cas·cade \(ˌ)kas-ˈkād\

Medical Definition of CASCADE

: a molecular, biochemical, or physiological process occurring in a succession of stages each of which is closely related to or depends on the output of the previous stage <a cascade of enzymatic reactions> <the cascade of events comprising the immune response>