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# watershed

noun (a watershed, watersheds)

«watershed» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A watershed is a line of high land, such as a ridge, that divides two areas whose rivers flow in different directions. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#m1)
2. (US) A watershed is the whole area of land whose water drains into one river or lake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#m2)
3. A watershed is an important moment when things change: a watershed in her life. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#m3)
4. (UK) The watershed is the time in the evening after which TV programmes for adults can be shown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#m4)

### In the lessons

In geography and science lessons about rivers and the water cycle: a watershed collects rain that flows into a river. In history and stories, a watershed moment is a turning point. In UK family life, children's TV should be watched before the watershed. Phrases: watershed moment, river watershed, before the watershed.

### Examples

- Rain falling on this side of the hills flows into a different river: the ridge is the watershed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#x1)
- Everything that drains into the lake is its watershed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#x2)
- Joining the team was a watershed in his life. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#x3)
- That film is shown after the watershed, so it's not for children. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#x4)
- We must keep our watershed clean to have clean water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#x5)
- The discovery was a watershed moment in science. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/#x6)

### Note

Plural: watersheds. The UK meaning (a dividing ridge) and the US meaning (the whole drainage area, UK «catchment» or «drainage basin») differ — a common confusion. «Watershed moment» = turning point.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «watershed» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/watershed/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«watershed» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/watershed.html) on Mova free.