Watershed

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Watershed \Wa"ter*shed`\, n. [Cf. G. wasserscheide; wasser water
     + scheide a place where two things separate, fr. scheiden to
     separate.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The whole region or extent of country which contributes to
        the supply of a river or lake.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The line of division between two adjacent rivers or lakes
        with respect to the flow of water by natural channels into
        them; the natural boundary of a basin; -- called also
        {divide} and {water parting}.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     3. a point in time marking an important transition between
        two situations, or phases of an activity; a turning point.
        [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Divide \Di*vide"\, n.
     A dividing ridge of land between the tributaries of two
     streams; also called {watershed} and {water parting}. A
     divide on either side of which the waters drain into two
     different oceans is called a {continental divide}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  watershed
       n 1: a ridge of land that separates two adjacent river systems
            [syn: {water parting}, {divide}]
       2: an event marking a unique or important historical change of
          course or one on which important developments depend; "the
          agreement was a watershed in the history of both nations"
          [syn: {landmark}, {turning point}]