What's the difference between ditch and dyke?

Ditch


Definition:

  • (n.) A trench made in the earth by digging, particularly a trench for draining wet land, for guarding or fencing inclosures, or for preventing an approach to a town or fortress. In the latter sense, it is called also a moat or a fosse.
  • (n.) Any long, narrow receptacle for water on the surface of the earth.
  • (v. t.) To dig a ditch or ditches in; to drain by a ditch or ditches; as, to ditch moist land.
  • (v. t.) To surround with a ditch.
  • (v. t.) To throw into a ditch; as, the engine was ditched and turned on its side.
  • (v. i.) To dig a ditch or ditches.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) This year's IPO frenzy has shown further signs of fading, as yet another company ditched plans to list its shares on the London stock exchange.
  • (2) But the last people you'd rely on are those who dug the ditch and shoved you in – particularly when they're still building and still shoving.
  • (3) Plans for the pipeline to come onshore in Brindisi were ditched following local opposition.
  • (4) But in a last-ditch effort, his lawyers lodged an appeal for clemency on Monday morning.
  • (5) Now he must go | Momodou Musa Touray Read more As midday and 4pm deadlines to go passed on Friday, two regional leaders arrived in the capital, Banjul, in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to persuade him to step down.
  • (6) In Barcelona, where last-ditch negotiations are taking place, it became clear today the best hope for Copenhagen is a "politically binding" agreement, which rich countries hope will have all the key elements of the final deal, including specific targets and timetables for greenhouse gas emissions cuts and money for poor countries to cope with climate change.
  • (7) In a last-ditch attempt to overturn the award of the west coast rail franchise to FirstGroup, Virgin Trains co-owner Sir Richard Branson has offered to run the service "for free" to allow time for parliamentary scrutiny of the decision.
  • (8) Time to scrap all honours everywhere, including UK.” Australians had their chance to ditch the monarchy in 1999.
  • (9) By removing the safeguards on [the total number of] hours [a trainee medic can be told to work], doctors will be working unsafe hours, leading to poor patient care.” One source involved in helping to formulate Hunt’s new offer said it represented a serious move to break the impasse over the pay and conditions of NHS medics and is his “last-ditch attempt to resolve the junior doctors dispute” before the ballot produces a widely expected mandate for action.
  • (10) phi PS5, a double-stranded DNA bacteriophage of Pseudomonas stutzeri JM604 that adsorbs specifically to the outer-membrane protein NosA, was isolated from stagnant irrigation ditch water.
  • (11) We will have another financial shock – it’s inevitable.” Gary Greenwood, analyst at Shore Capital, described the results as “dismal” and noted the bank was ditching targets previously set to measure returns to shareholders.
  • (12) Geoff Reid Bradford • Is the Jeremy Hunt who stated that “We need to have an honest discussion about the purpose of A&E departments” ( Hunt ditches target as A&E crisis deepens , 10 January) the same Jeremy Hunt who took his own child to A&E with a minor illness because he didn’t want to wait for a GP appointment?
  • (13) The chancellor stressed that Britain’s relationship with the EU would remain unchanged for the time being – and ditched the idea, launched alongside his predecessor Alistair Darling during the campaign – that an emergency budget would be necessary within weeks, as Brexit slams the brakes on the economy.
  • (14) 5) Playing dirty helps win the day Three days before the vote, a panicking no campaign organised a last-ditch rally at the Place du Canada in Montreal.
  • (15) The head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) yesterday urged diplomats to stop bickering about a mini package of liberalisation designed to boost global commerce and warned of serious damage to the 20-year-old institution if last-ditch talks failed.
  • (16) A humiliated Trierweiler was publicly ditched by Hollande in a terse 18-word statement announcing that he was “putting an end” to their “shared life”.
  • (17) He took Jessica's mobile out of her pocket; he carried their bodies down the stairs and, after checking no one was around, bundled them into the cramped boot of his car, bending their legs to fit them in; he collected petrol and bin bags (to protect his feet and thus conceal evidence); he drove to Lakenheath and found a lonely track; he got out where the vegetation grew thickly and he rolled the two girls down into the ditch; he climbed into the ditch and cut off their clothing - their red football shirts and their tracksuit trousers, their knickers, Holly's black bra which she and her mother had bought the day before - and then he poured petrol over their bodies and threw on a match.
  • (18) On information known publicly, one Tamil man was detained when he came to Australia because he was a lawyer for the LTTE’s civil administration, another because he dug ditches on LTTE orders for civilian Tamils to shelter in during air raids by government aircraft.
  • (19) The railway staff left to pick up the pieces are being set up as scapegoats with ludicrous claims about Spanish practices and out-of-control pay, but our members have already been paying with their jobs as the privateers ditch frontline staff to maintain profits.
  • (20) The US secretary of state was due to hold late-night talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in a last-ditch attempt to break the deadlock on unresolved issues.

Dyke


Definition:

  • (n.) See Dike. The spelling dyke is restricted by some to the geological meaning.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) We thought we had a responsibility to English football if we can fit [the clubs] in, and that money we can use to support grassroots football,” Dyke said.
  • (2) Grade said he objected to Dyke's assertion in the Times that he used information about the BBC's schedule when he quit as chairman of the corporation in late 2006 to move to ITV.
  • (3) Last year David Cameron dubbed Offa’s Dyke “the line between life and death”, and barely a week goes by at Westminster without the Conservatives kicking the Welsh NHS.
  • (4) Alexander Lebedev has targeted some of the biggest names in British media to edit the Independent, including Greg Dyke, the former director general of the BBC.
  • (5) Latin America delights in Fifa arrests after years of impunity Read more Greg Dyke, chairman of the English Football Association (FA), said that the 79-year-old needed to leave Fifa for the organisation to continue.
  • (6) A report by Greg Dyke, former director general of the BBC, is likely to recommend that the BBC licence fee is scrapped to save up to £100m a year.
  • (7) The review, which originally promised to report in January, was broadly welcomed but some felt that Dyke had overlooked the findings of a recent wide ranging review into the supply line for domestic talent that resulted in the £340m Elite Player Performance Plan in favour of asking the same questions again.
  • (8) Dyke believes that following the Olympics, Entwistle has a chance to show "how important the BBC is to the nation".
  • (9) Van Dyke is the first on-duty officer to be charged with murder while working for the Chicago police department in nearly 35 years.
  • (10) Among them are former director general Greg Dyke, who described the trust under Fairhead’s predecessor Lord Patten as a “busted flush” .
  • (11) And, I think, certainly in terms of the playing, we can make a difference.” Dyke also said new visa rules agreed last week with the Home Office will help.
  • (12) Following this week's withdrawal of Lord Coe, who had been backed by David Cameron and George Osborne , the former director general Greg Dyke said neither politician should have become so involved.
  • (13) "I don't think [Patten's] doing a good job because I don't know where he was when the crisis happened," Dyke told MPs on the House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee on Tuesday.
  • (14) When we decided in Brazil that we wanted Roy to continue with his contract, we thought, ‘He’s got a contract, he sees it through.’ Sometime in the next year we will discuss what happens afterwards.” Dyke said in March: “I get on quite well with Roy and I chat to him all the time.
  • (15) Instead, let's hunt down whoever told Van Dyke an English accent just involves adding "guvnerrrr" to every other sentence.
  • (16) Greg Dyke interview: ‘People keep coming up to me and saying: Well done, you got rid of him!’ Read more Asked whether he would bet on Blatter being arrested if he had to choose, Dyke replied: “Yes.” Blatter has strenuously denied all wrongdoing.
  • (17) Dyke’s plan is unlikely to find favour with all top flight clubs, who want to preserve their autonomy and believe a £340m investment in the Elite Player Performance Plan is bearing fruit.
  • (18) Having overseen early England exits at the 2014 World Cup and now Euro 2016, Dyke said Roy Hodgson’s successor as England manager could be a foreign coach but said he had to be steeped in English football.
  • (19) Greg Dyke, the Football Association chairman, believes a new contract for Roy Hodgson is not entirely dependent on a successful finish at Euro 2016.
  • (20) Independent IAB members, including the former Chelsea players Graeme Le Saux and Paul Elliott, have written a joint letter to the FA chairman Greg Dyke and all FA councillors backing Rabbatts and criticising the investigation.