landslide

[ land-slahyd ]
/ ˈlændˌslaɪd /

noun Also called, especially British, land·slip [land-slip] /ˈlændˌslɪp/ (for defs 1, 2).

the downward falling or sliding of a mass of soil, detritus, or rock on or from a steep slope.
the mass itself.
an election in which a particular victorious candidate or party receives an overwhelming mass or majority of votes: the 1936 landslide for Roosevelt.
any overwhelming victory: She won the contest by a landslide.

verb (used without object), land·slid, land·slid or land·slid·den, land·slid·ing.

to come down in or as in a landslide.
to win an election by an overwhelming majority.

Origin of landslide

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; land + slide

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH landslide

avalanche landslide

Example sentences from the Web for landslide

British Dictionary definitions for landslide

landslide
/ (ˈlændˌslaɪd) /

noun

Also called: landslip
  1. the sliding of a large mass of rock material, soil, etc, down the side of a mountain or cliff
  2. the material dislodged in this way
  1. an overwhelming electoral victory
  2. (as modifier)a landslide win

Scientific definitions for landslide

landslide
[ lăndslīd′ ]

The rapid downward sliding of a mass of earth and rock. Landslides usually move over a confined area. Many kinds of events can trigger a landslide, such as the oversteepening of slopes by erosion associated with rivers, glaciers, or ocean waves; heavy snowmelt which saturates soil and rock; or earthquakes that lead to the failure of weak slopes.
The mass of soil and rock that moves in this way.