to open the floodgates to
1open the floodgates — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… …
2open the floodgates to sb — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… …
3open the floodgates to sb/sth — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… …
4open the floodgates to sth — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… …
5open the floodgates — To remove all restrictions or controls • • • Main Entry: ↑flood * * * open the floodgates phrase to suddenly make it possible or easier for a lot of things to happen Political reforms have opened the floodgates to foreign investment. Thesaurus:… …
6open the floodgates for sth — open the floodgates (to/for sth) ► to allow a new situation or activity to develop and become very common: »Changes being considered could open the floodgates and allow foreign markets to sell almost any stock to almost anyone in this country.… …
7open the floodgates to/for sth — open the floodgates (to/for sth) ► to allow a new situation or activity to develop and become very common: »Changes being considered could open the floodgates and allow foreign markets to sell almost any stock to almost anyone in this country.… …
8open the floodgates — If you open the floodgates, you make something possible to happen that had been difficult, illegal or impossible …
9open the floodgates — If someone or something opens the floodgates, they release something that had previously been held under control. It is feared that easing price controls will open the floodgates to inflation …
10open the floodgates — if an action or a decision opens the floodgates, it allows something to happen a lot or allows many people to do something that was not previously allowed. If they win their case it could open the floodgates to others with similar compensation… …
